#I always feel like I’m inconveniencing them too because it takes…. a lot longer to cut than a normal persons hair

[polysyndetonaddictsupportgroup]

First off, the way you write Tsumiki is so beautiful and makes so much sense and I would die for her. Also, Tsumiki/Maki is fucking inspired. It fits so perfectly within the story and fleshes out both of their characters and I have so many feelings about it.

What you wrote about the cause of the no-contact fits so well with the Zenin how do you even come up with this!! And it also reframes so many scenes in sea glass gardens (specifically, I went to double check bc I just realized that Tsumiki still refers to Megumi’s dogs by their names and they still reapond to them. I am going to cry Megumi deserved so much better). Nanami is absolutely insane in the best way for demanding half custody like he seems like he’d be willing to throw hands over it regardless of the cost to himself and it’s so perfect with how much he (like Gojo) believes so much in protecting children. I have more words to say but not the brainspace to say them bc it is late at night for me. But! I would die for you and your writing thank you so much for getting into jjk

I’m soo glad that y’all liked Tsumiki/Maki too. The versions of them that live in my head just fit together like puzzle pieces. They were each other’s foil and they understood the other all the more for being what the other had chose not to be. Tsumiki had chosen her sibling and Maki had chosen herself, and both of them know what it means to have those be mutually exclusive.

Also the version of Tsumiki that lived in my head violently hates the Zenin and I could not imagine anything more attractive to Maki. Tsumiki would firebomb their compound without hesitation or regret. Maki wants to kiss her on the mouth.

Tsumiki very purposefully was designated as the character who would keep calling the dogs by their names, because she’s the one who most aggressively tries to insulate Megumi from the effects of the jujutsu world on him.

Tsumiki knew Kuro and Shiro longer than anyone. She remembers when Megumi first summoned his puppies. She knows exactly how much he loves them and she knows exactly how badly he must have been hurt to push him to never call them by their names again. Those dogs mean the world to him, and she knows it.

In her mind, what Megumi lost wasn’t his love for his dogs. If he lost that, she thinks he’d be more willing to call them by their names—names are just easy ways of distinguishing them, after all. They’re already named. He’s only inconveniencing himself by never saying their names aloud.

She thinks Megumi stopped calling them by name as a way of protecting them from the Zenin clan.

He never saw his family again, is the thing, but the Zenin have always existed on their periphery. They know that the Zenin haven’t lost interest in him. Gojo tries to shield them (but mostly Megumi) from as much of the Zenin as possible, but they know that the Zenin have been prodding them for more contact and information on Megumi ever since Gojo cut them off. And they know that the Zenin have a lot of contact with the jujutsu world. They both assumed that, over the years, plenty of people have reported back to the Zenin on Megumi.

They trust Gojo, Nanami, Shoko, and Ijichi to not leak information to the Zenin. No one else.

She’s always suspected that Megumi stopped calling his dogs by their names because he didn’t want it to get back to the Zenin that he loved them like pets still. They’d be safer if the Zenin didn’t realize how much he still loved them. Maybe if he hid it, they’d assume they scared him off, and they wouldn’t hire someone to kill a dog when he’s on a mission or something. And that’s what she’ll never forgive the Zenin for taking from him.

They took away Megumi’s safety in his love. It became something he didn’t feel comfortable showing, ever, because it was something he would be hurt over. They made him hide it. And it kills Tsumiki to see, because her brother loves more fiercely than anyone she’s ever met. He loves in a way that terrifies her, sometimes, because she thinks it will kill him one day, she really does.

He loved those dogs enough to be beat within an inch of his life to keep them safe. He wouldn’t just suddenly start treating them like they’re impersonal weapons. They’re still Kuro and Shiro to him, she knows it. They’re still his puppies. And she doesn’t want the Zenin to get to take that from him.

She doesn’t want Megumi to just… succumb to what the jujutsu world did to him. She doesn’t want him to just take the beating the way he took it for his dogs. And she doesn’t want him to just sacrifice himself for her and call it a day. She wants him to fight for himself and for his right to live on his own terms. And she’s not sure if he’ll do that.

So she’ll fill in the gaps where she can. His dogs’ names are Shiro and Kuro, and they’re her brother’s puppies. They’re her best boys and she’ll treat them like pets all day long if she pleases, because the Zenin had no fucking right to take that from her brother. She’ll spit in Zenin Naobito’s face if she ever gets half a chance.

[bookwyrminspiration]

genuine question how are you so comfortable giving long answers to things? I said something like “I am tormented by thoughts” on a discord sever I’m in and someone asked to hear them so I word-vomited like four paragraphs worth of character analysis and now I want to profusely apologize to everyone ever.

if this is a weird question you don’t have to answer; you just seem very sure of yourself and I’m mildly jealous (/lh).

It's not weird at all! And hopefully I can give an answer--probably a long one--to help you not feel like profusely apologizing. Update: yep! a long one! so you get a cut to preserve dash space :)

I'm thinking about this in the context of asks, but it applies to other things as well. The origin for me giving long answers was, in part, because I'm naturally a verbose writer. I fumble and forget things orally, but when I write things down that's when I can really organize myself and communicate most authentically. And I have a lot of thoughts and questions about things, so me giving longer, thought out responses to things is my actual reaction. That's part of it

The other origin was that, for me, sending asks is a really stressful thing! So when I sent asks, I always noticed that I was more excited to do so when I received a more substantial response. It was more rewarding to me, the anxiety worth it when I saw the evidence that what i'd done had prompted thought and effort from someone else.

So that's another big part of why I do things the way I do! Someone put in effort to share a thought, trouble, or something else with me. I want to respect that effort and give them something in return for doing so. To be clear this is not like a "they did this and now I owe them :/" it's like a "i want to show I care about them and their effort, and I can do that with my response! be thorough with their ideas!" I don't want anyone to feel like I'm brushing them off or feel inconvenienced by them, so I give that substance to try and show that I take them seriously and evaluate their words

(note: this is not to say that short responses are bad and inconsiderate. if you do those/like those, that's fine! great! they're just not for me most of the time)

It also helps to remember that since this is all written down (as you're talking about a discord server) people can pick and choose to engage. I'm not taking anyone's time who doesn't freely give it. People can ignore and skim through my posts and read only what they want to. I use readmore's and tag things for convenience, and that way I'm not being obtrusive (or at least minimize it, but people can let me know if I'm being obnoxious and I can adjust my approach!) The worst thing that happens is I forget to tag a particularly long post and people spend an extra second scrolling past.

But you're correct, my verbose nature is something I'm very sure of! It's a trait people recognize me by and can come to associate with me, and it's a genuine part of who I am. I write a lot. I sometimes explain things too much because I'm not sure I'm getting my point across. It's less about the long posts and more about being comfortable with things about me that aren't sanitized and dulled down to be more enjoyable to others.

Sure, if I wrote shorter posts they'd take up less space and be easier to read through. And sometimes I do make shorter posts and responses! But if I stopped doing so because I was worried about bothering people, I'd be denying a big part of who I am. I talk in writing a lot! that's me! I don't want to ignore me and I have things to say, so I say them. If I get distracted from the point people can redirect me and I'll start talking in a new direction, but it's still me

I think that's my attitude and thoughts around long responses. I deserve to indulge and express myself, and doing so like this doesn't harm anyone. It at the very worst briefly inconveniences people, and there are ways to minimize that. So my self-expression of my natural tendencies is more important to me and more genuine, so that's what I prioritize.

As for being comfortable doing it, it's a matter of just doing it and practicing. I felt bad about it at first, but not bad enough to stop. I'd make comments about how I'd drag and drone, but as I answered more and more things with long responses, as it came to be something people know me for, I stopped worrying about it more because it became normal to me and everyone around me

I have long responses. People know that now. They know if they want someone to really think and explore something, I'll do it! They know I'll fact check and quote things and be enthusiastic about practically everything. It's me! And I like me, so I want to keep doing that. i want to keep taking up space!

it definitely isn't effortless at first. If you go back through my blog you'll see differences in how I word things as I adjusted to match other people I interacted with at the time, but as I let myself develop that presence and do things more authentic to me, I grew to where I am now. And I will continue to grow and change!

But yeah. I have a lot to say and I want to say it! So I do! People can choose to engage or not, but I'd rather be authentic to myself than try to accommodate others when really I'm not harming anyone.

that got longer than I was expected but my advice is to keep taking up space and talking how you want to without apologizing. even when you want to. sit with the discomfort and evaluate things and you'll get used to it, and then it won't be uncomfortable anymore and you'll be able to talk how much you want to freely!

I hope some of this answers your question or helps <33

[whaleofatjme1920]

I hope you enjoy/ enjoyed your day off! And I’m sure it’s well late into requests, especially for creepypasta content. But, if you’re up to it, I’m wondering if you’d write angst or angst-comfort revolving around Tim, Toby, Kate, and Bryan. Preferably with a reader who has risen from runt for a couple months. And despite the change in attitude towards them they keep many ideas about being “a runt”. Staying quiet, speaking with titles/ respect, and keeping their face covered.

Ever the Runt

[GN!Reader]

[Warnings: like,,,, none? I make a few calls to the whole hazing process. Nothing that bad though.]

[AN: sure can, but I did them as headcanons because I already have a few fics remarkably similar to this? Here they are.

One. Two. Three. ]

Few worldbuilding notes, I don't actually think face coverings are necessary in shared proxy/independent/Slender Man controlled areas. That's more of an up to you thing no one really minds.

Runts are expected to be quiet, not put up any fights, punished when necessary, carry out the will of the higher ups around them without question and generally not look anyone in the eye unless specifically asked for. I do not write face covers as a big thing in proxy society when NOT in the field.

A lot do though because older proxies tend to take the piss of out their new, usually unscarred faces. So if you're seen wearing your mask a lot, you're either edgy or a runt and will get dog piled regardless. That's all.

Everyone knows that the meshing to becoming a full proxy is messy. No one handles it easily and you are no exception. There is no such thing as a clear cut off because a clear cut off does not exist.

What, you think that just putting someone through months, even years depending on the group and its leader is easy? That the poor runt with get off without a hitch?

What no one really talks about is how soul crushing the hazing process really is. You often find yourself laying awake at night thinking of it like Hoodie is going to come crashing through the door ready to hurt you and remind you of your place.

But Brian doesn't do that. Not anymore. A few months ago, Tim removed you from your runt status. You are now what's lovingly referred to as a "middle child". Too good to be a runt, but not good enough to usurp a right hand and certainly without enough merit to become a group leader. So, in the middle you remain.

No one handles becoming a full proxy easily, and again, you are no exception.

Kate sees it in small little bouts. She knows exactly what you're going through as she was this group's runt before you, their middle child next. She's been at it much longer than you, but she sees you flinch when she raises her hand, and she knows. Kate's always been good to you. The type of hazing she laid upon you was making you do dirty work she didn't feel necessary for herself, and most of it was clean up or moving bodies. She never hurt you, just inconvenienced you. And to this day, it is her you feel you have the most open air to speak in.

Toby's kind of hazing was rough, but forgiving. He liked having someone beneath him, but he faltered with Kate, and he faltered even more with you. He would remind you of your place and the moment you spoke back he would break you back down. So, when he's playfully bantering with you and you cower? He apologizes. "There's n-no need for t-that now, R-R-Reader," he says. "You can t-take shots at me." And he genuinely means it. He frowns when you hesitate still.

Hoodie, or Brian as you now know him when not working, was the worst one when it came to treating you as a runt. He actually fought against the proxy lifestyle the hardest when he and Tim were taken in, but ended up following it the closest. It's how he's atoning for it and well, Hoodie is lowkey a sticker for tradition. Weirdly enough, I don't think neither Hoodie nor Brian do very much to coddle you once you exhibit runt behavior after lifting your status. They know you'll grow out of it eventually. Brian tells you to keep your head up and "act better" and that's about it. But, he does talk to Tim about how he wished you weren't as shy. Kate wasn't.

Masky flip flopped around on how to treat you when you were a runt. He definitely reminded you of your place, but he wasn't that bad either. Certainly nicer than Hoodie. Tim tells you to keep your head up as well. You're a proxy now, act like one. He doesn't have to baby you. Half of the reason older proxies treat runts like errand dogs is to get them used to the lifestyle. You are no longer anyone's errand dog. Stop acting like it.

All four of them handle your behavior differently and the same. Kate and Toby are amongst the gentlest, whereas Tim and Brian pretty much tell you to get over it and be better. It's gentleness vs tough love, and they both end up serving you well. They all give you little pointers to help break your runt habits though.

When it comes to angst for this, I feel it all comes down to how you personally move past people who have wronged you even if they have their "reasons" as skewed as those may be.

You are treated like an equal now so that's a definite plus.

But none of them will outright coddle you. They're all much more prone to tough love than anything else.

Keep your head up, you've earned it.

[im-a-lil-simp]

Um basic sapnap relashonship headcanons? I love ur writing sm

Being in a relationship with Sapnap

I haven't written for sap in a hot minute. I'm happy to give you some nice and sweet relationship headcannons bb.

I've also been doing shorter stuff lately so I made it a point to make this a little longer.

Warning: Suggestive themes

Best.

Boyfriend.

Ever.

He is literally everything you could ever want in a partner.

We'll start off with his looks.

He's so fucking good looking.

But we already knew that.

He's a bit of a thiccer boy, we know.

That makes him so much more amazing to cuddle.

Oh my god he's just so fluffy and wrapping your arms around him and laying your head on his chest.

*chef's kiss*

He's such a cuddle bug too.

He always wants to be cuddling you.

Or even just touching you in any way.

It makes you feel so loved and it's amazing.

You also get to see it all behind the scenes.

Your favorite part is seeing how focused he gets while working at his desk.

Whether it's working on school work, editing a video, or even during his streams, you love seeing him focused.

He looks like he's a being from another world, ethereal even.

And sometimes it is very hot.

His face scrunches up occasionally, especially when he's irritated or angry with whatever he's working on.

You don't want to disturb him, but to say you need to cool down after seeing him like that sometimes is an understatement ;)

You don't really bother him while he's working.

But that doesn't stop him from bothering you.

He'll walk in and put his arms on your head and watch you work before walking out again.

Or something to that sense.

I'll stick some kissing headcannons here too.

I've seen a couple for him and I definitely agree with them.

His favorite kisses and neck kisses and lip kisses.

When you guys are sitting in bed or on the couch watching haikyuu my hero academia hunter hunter a show, he'll mindlessly kiss along your neck and around your shoulder blades.

(We all know he'd watch anime with you, regardless if you like it or not. He doesn't care)

He'll come up behind you and kiss your neck when your doing something.

Or just lay his head there, it is very calming for him and you as well.

And with lip kisses.

He's usually very needy with them.

He'll pucker his lips at you to try and get your attention so that you'll kiss him.

Or he'll whine at you to give him a kiss, specifically when you can't at the moment or are refusing for whatever reason.

Cause sometimes it's fun to mess with him a little and refuse to give him any.

Sometimes he'll pull on you by your shirt or hoodie to bring you in for a kiss.

It catches you off guard but you both melt into the kiss easily after you get more used to him doing that over time.

It makes you blush a lot and he feels very proud to have you as his,

And be able to see you like that.

He'll drive you everywhere too.

Even if you can drive.

He wants to drive for you because he doesn't want you to be inconvenienced.

You go to get in the driver's seat of your own goddamn car and he'll practically pull you out of it.

You only ever get to drive when you go somewhere alone.

He's very sweet and does a lot of things so that you don't have to.

Oh you need something from the top shelf of the cabinet?

He's got it for you.

You need him to kill a bug for you because it's too big and scary?

He's got it for you.

You're thirsty but don't want to get up?

He doesn't want to get up either, but he will for you.

Cause he's got it.

You also have dance partys in your bedroom.

You'll take turns picking songs and dance to them.

The minecraft parodys always go so hard and you both pop off so fucking much.

He'll play his god complex music or whatever and you guys are hopping around like maniacs.

It's fun though and it's funny to see both of you guy's weirdly dancing to this song that was clearly not made for dancing.

Or when you play softer songs.

He'll take you in by the waist and you'll listen and sway back and forth together.

At the end of the song, he'll take your chin between his fingers and give you a long, loving kiss.

You can feel how much he genuinely loves you and those moments are your favorite.

Sometimes he gets a little more pushy with them and it leads to even better *cough* times *cough*

But they're always sweet and intimate when it happens like that.

So to reiterate,

Best. Boyfriend. Ever.

[zevlors-tail]

Hi I feel really bad for sending in an emergency request but bakugou, deku, or kaminari comforting and helping a reader who is going through a major depressive episode with suicidal thoughts. I’m so sorry I feel really bad for asking

A/N: I could not have gotten this at a more convenient time. I just want to say thank you for requesting this, and please don’t be sorry for asking about this. If you want to talk my dms are open, but I hope this helps! This was extremely cathartic for me to write. I only did Bakugou for the moment, but I fully plan on coming back at some point to at least add Denki (and also Deku eventually). Bakugou as a secret comfort character for me? It’s more likely than you think.

TW: Suicidal ideation, suicidal thoughts, suicidal reader, depression. PLEASE DO NOT READ if these things trigger you. It’s extremely descriptive and emotional!

Bakugou Katsuki

“Hey...are you okay?” 

You barely snapped out of your foggy trance as you slowly blinked, your coworker’s face coming into focus eventually as you gathered your surroundings you had long since forgotten about. Your response was immediate, familiar words strung together with little effort after saying them over and over again. No longer did they drag you down and taste like lies in your mouth; now they were just the ghost of a feeling you struggled to remember, an empty shell with hollowed out meaning. 

“Oh, yeah...just tired,” you drawled. And you were.

There weren’t too many days anymore that you didn’t feel drained, didn’t feel like the weight of the world was sitting on your shoulders. You felt heavy- both mentally and physically, like there were weights tethered to your arms and legs. It made you feel utterly exhausted at the end of every day and stole your motivation to get up in the morning. Your bed never seemed more comfortable, and your sheets never seemed so warm. If you had the choice, you would allow yourself to lie there forever, to skip work in favor of sleeping through the whole day, because what good was there in being awake, anyway? Lately it just seemed like everything was a waste.

“Are you sure? You just seem...down.” Your coworker gave you a concerned look, and you thought it ironic that the day you felt you might snap was the day everyone chose to finally ask if you were alright. Maybe she could see it on your face, or maybe you finally looked how you felt inside. Whatever the case, you didn’t care. In fact, you hardly cared about anything; it was hard to care about your life when you felt there was no value to it.

“I’m fine! Just really tired,” you repeated without hesitation.

“Okay, if you’re sure.” She seemed to take the explanation without any further question, shrugging and turning around to get back to what she had been doing before. “Just make sure management doesn’t catch you staring off like that; I think they’re in a bad mood today.”

Logically, you knew you were dealing with depression. Depression was not something new to you; this had happened before, and you had managed to dig yourself out of your own hole each time, but this time was...different. Logic didn’t stop the thoughts rampaging through your mind, didn’t quiet the voices that told you others would be better off without you. You felt like a burden to everyone, a walking problem that caused trouble everywhere you went. Just this morning at work you had dropped something accidentally, and it had spilled all over the floor and under the tables, the mess reaching into the cracks and crevices of the tiles where it would be harder to get to. You had done the best you could to clean it up, but in the end, the janitor had to step in and clean up the mess that you made. Maybe it was just an accident, and maybe you didn’t mean to spill your food, but you couldn’t see past the fact that you were always like this. Always spilling things, always causing problems for others, always inconveniencing everyone you came into contact with. Maybe...it would be better if you had stayed in bed all day instead of coming to work.

Maybe it would be better if you had never woke up in the first place.

...No!

You shook the thought from your head, doing your best to ignore it and focus on something else. Come on, you told yourself, focus on your job. But your mind remained hazy as you continued on with work, and it only served to cause more problems for you. By the end of the day, you had accidentally dropped a couple more items, slipped on some water and fell face first to the ground, and towards the end of your shift, just as you were clocking out, you bumped into an unruly customer who was clearly having none of it today. Hands reached out to shove you away and you stumbled, tripping over your own feet as you tried to get a grip and regain your balance.

“Watch where you’re going, god! Are you blind or something!? Jesus!”

For any other person, it might have just made them upset or angry, but it would have been passed off as a bad day, a bad moment in the grand scheme of things that would go away with time. But for you? For you it was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Whatever motivation and will to live you had left, it was gone within the instant, replaced with a numb, empty feeling. What was the point in all of this? If this was life, if you were constantly going to cause problems and get in people’s way, what was your purpose here?

If nothing was enjoyable anymore...you just wanted it to end. It was too late for you anyways; you felt too far gone to be saved. And honestly...what was even left to save? You felt like a shell of your former self.

And that was how you left the store, feet dragging against the ground as you numbly walked to your car to go home. It took you a while to collect yourself, so you sat there for a few minutes in the parking lot, keys stuck in the ignition and hands resting loosely on the steering wheel. Finally, you worked up the will to actually start the car, and then you were on your way home. Home...where you would probably just lie through your teeth again and go lay in bed for the rest of the night.

Bakugou was in the kitchen making dinner when you padded through the foyer and announced your arrival, the smell of spices overwhelming rather than inviting or enticing. But then again, you didn’t have much of an appetite lately, and you found the thought of sleep to be more appealing than the thought of food anyways.

“I’m home.” Your voice was quieter than usual, your tone flat and monotonous. Bakugou didn’t respond for a minute, and you wondered if he had even heard you over the sound of something sizzling in a pan.

“Y/N, that you?” A head poked out from around the corner, red eyes meeting E/C. “How was work?”

“It was work.” You blinked and kicked your shoes off haphazardly, your body already caving in on itself as you made your way to the bedroom. If Bakugou noticed the change from your usual demeanor, he said nothing about it, only going back to what he was doing in the kitchen when you retreated to your sanctuary for the night.

Finally alone with your thoughts, you crawled under the soft sheets with your work clothes still on and curled up, eyes already shutting even before your head hit the pillow. At some point you must have managed to fall asleep, because the next thing you knew you were being shaken awake by Katsuki, a sweet and savory smell drifting through the air. Your stomach rumbled, and though it felt empty, you still didn’t feel like eating emotionally. The only thing you seemed to feel now was a heaviness settling on your soul.

“Y/N, come eat.” Either you were imagining things or Bakugou’s normally gruff voice was more gentle and relaxed as he woke you from your slumber.

You protested with a whine, your face scrunching up in annoyance from being woken up. “Tired...” you mumbled.

“Yeah, yeah, I know. But you haven’t had anything since you came home from work, babe.”

“That was only an hour ago...” you started, your voice still thick from sleep. But as you looked towards your alarm clock on the nightstand next to the bed, you were surprised to find that the little digital numbers read 11:58 pm. You’d slept for a little over five hours since you had arrived home. “Shit-!”

That seemed to do the trick, and you were scrambling up and out of bed in no time, panic and confusion washing over you from your prolonged nap. Had you really slept so long? You hadn’t meant to, but it did feel nice to have a small break from everything you felt when you were awake. And again, you caught yourself wondering if maybe the world would be better off if you never woke up. Eventually the haziness of your dream state faded, leaving you with the same reality you had been facing earlier in the day. You wanted nothing more than to go back to bed and curl up in your state of melancholy, but you were up now, and Katsuki would worry if you didn’t eat anything.

The two of you made your way to the dinning room table where a plate of reheated leftovers sat along with some silver cutlery, a cute little holiday napkin leftover from Halloween resting next to it. You stared at the pumpkin covered paper for a while before picking up your fork and stabbing at whatever dish Bakugou had decided on for dinner. Lately he seemed to be on a vegetable kick, though a healthy dose of fruits and meats were also thrown into the mix for balance. You mindlessly chewed, not really paying attention to the flavor if there was any at all. In fact, it felt like you were chewing cardboard. You didn’t enjoy the taste or feel; you only ate purely out of habit and need to.

“Do you not like it?” Bakugou pulled you from your reverie of thoughts, your head snapping up in his direction when he spoke.

“Huh?”

“The food. You’ve barely touched it in the last ten minutes.”

Ten minutes? Since when had that much time passed? Looking down at your plate, you realized he was correct. Over half of your food remained untouched, bits and pieces of it spread around from your fork and pushed to the side as if it was your least favorite meal. You hadn’t even noticed you were playing with it, and you wondered how long you had been just sitting there scooting food around with a blank look on your face.

“No, it was good.” Liar. You’d hardly been able to taste it. But it wasn’t just food that had lost it’s merit to you, if you really thought about it. The world just didn’t seem as lively; colors seemed washed out and faded, food held no taste, and music just didn’t sound the same. Nothing was enjoyable for you anymore.

“Y/N. You know you can tell me if there’s something going on, right?” Bakugou’s eyes bored into you while you just stared at the brightly colored napkin.

“Yeah, I know!” you chirped back, eyes briefly flickering up to meet his gaze before returning to orange pumpkins.

“Is there anything you want to talk about?” It sounded like a question, but really it was an invite. He knew there was something going on with you. Asking you was his way of giving you room to explain yourself before he decided to pry. Usually he was mindful of any boundaries you might have had, but Katsuki was never a fool, and you tended not to open up easily. Sometimes a little pushing and prodding on his part was necessary.

“Not really? Just work, but it was the usual. I’m just tired.” Even as you tried to pass your unusual behaviors off as a bad day at work and exhaustion, you couldn’t hide the sour note that slipped into your voice along with the visible scowl you made. But the emotions were short lived, and you were back to feeling defeated and down within mere seconds.

“Hey...” You felt compelled to look up at him when he softened his voice even more, but everything in you told you to hold back and keep staring at those damn balls of orange on the napkin. Why, you weren’t sure- maybe it was to keep from crying, or maybe it was to suppress the feelings that were slowly surfacing within you, or maybe it was just because you no longer cared. “Are you alright?”

You visibly winced when he asked. Suddenly everything hurt; everything was a mess, it was all wrong, all of it, and you just wanted it to stop. The pain, the numbness, the thoughts- everything. It felt like you hadn’t been able to catch a break since the day you were born. Day in and day out you lived like that, and no one would ever ask if you were okay. No one took the time to check on you properly; no one seemed to notice when you felt like you were at your worst. Well...no one except Bakugou. He’d been your rock for a long time now, but lately everything had gotten much worse, and you had kept certain things from him so as not to burden him with your troubles. In your eyes, he had enough of his own problems; hero work was already rough on him as it was, so you kept things to yourself so he wouldn’t feel overwhelmed. 

“Why does everyone always ask that when it’s already too late?”

The words tumbled uncontrollably from your mouth as your brows furrowed, a pained look clouding your dull eyes. Bakugou took a moment to process what you said before responding, eyes still locked onto you.

“What does that mean?” He already knew. You could hear it through the apprehensiveness in his voice, see it in the way he gritted his teeth anxiously. “Y/N, what does that mean?”

You glared at the blurry orange shape below you (were you crying...?), refusing to look Katsuki in the eyes. You were afraid of what might happen if you did. “I’m just...a waste of space.” There was a strange conviction to your voice, as if you’d made up your mind about something. Bakugou did not miss this. You, however, did miss the flash of fear in his ruby eyes as you spoke. “I cause problems for everyone I meet. I’m just a giant inconvenience to the world, and everyone would be better off without me. I don’t matter.”

“Y/N.”

“Would anybody even care if I was gone? I mean really, what difference am I making here?”

“Y/N, look at me.”

“It would be better that way. People wouldn’t have to deal with me anymore, and I don’t have to deal with all of...this.” You made some sort of gesture with your hands, your voice cracking as you held back hot tears. “Life. It’s just...it’s so exhausting. I’m so, so tired of having to wake up every day and drag myself out of bed and live. Nothing is fun anymore, and it’s hard just to breathe. I mean, seriously!? Come on, ya know? I didn’t ask for this, I don’t want to live like thi-!” You choked up, silent sobs wracking your shoulders as you buried your faced in your hands. 

Across the table, Bakugou slid from his chair and made his way to you, feet thudding against the floor as he quickly closed the distance and kneeled down to your level. “I knew something was wrong, but...” He gently cupped your face in his hands, palms warm against your tear stained cheeks. “How long have you been feeling like this?”

You struggled to remember when this all started. Minutes turned to hours, hours to days, and days to weeks that blurred into months eventually. Time blended together, and you couldn’t recall the last time you felt able to get up in the morning without feeling like it was a chore. “I don’t know...” you answered honestly.

Bakugou rubbed his thumbs against your face carefully, a soft sigh leaving his lips as he brought you into an embrace against his chest. You didn’t fight it, instead leaning into his touch while crying, and the two of you stayed there for quite some time before Katsuki spoke up about how he was feeling.

“You may think that you don’t make much of a difference here on this earth, but that’s just utter bullshit, Y/N. You make a hell of a big difference to me and everyone else around you, and you would be sorely missed and grieved over. Don’t you dare for one second think that you’re not important or loved, because you are; you are so, so loved.”

“It doesn’t feel that way,” you cried.

“I know, babe. It’s hard to see it right now, I know. Your mind is telling you the opposite. But believe me when I say you are the most loving and caring person I know. You’re always reaching out to others, maybe even a little too much, and you’re always checking on them. You’ve made a world of difference to everyone. Your friends need you, your family needs you, and I need you here. And I would be devastated if anything were to happen to you.” It was hard to believe anything he said. You wanted to, you wanted to so desperately. But you weren’t sure of anything anymore, and the most you could do was cling to him like a koala and hope that what he said was true. “Let me in. Let me be there for you. Trust me, please.” You’d never heard those words from Katsuki before. They sounded odd coming from his mouth, like they didn’t really belong on his tongue. But you listened because it was Bakugou, and you wanted to trust him. You wanted to be able to feel okay, and he’d always been there no matter how much you’d tried to push him away.

“Okay,” you murmured against his chest, your tired eyes drooping shut in exhaustion. Your shoulders followed suit as they slumped downwards, and you gave in and crumbled into his arms. 

“You’re not a waste of space. You’re extremely important to me, and I don’t tell you that enough. Every day when you leave for work, I miss you. I love when you come home and greet me, and I’m a better person because of you. Y/N, you’ve gotten me through shit I didn’t think I was going to make it out of. And you know what? We can do this. We can do it together, and it’s going to take a lot of work, but we will do it. You’re not getting rid of me that easy.” You couldn’t help but to smile at that. “And I know you feel like a burden, but you’re not. Your problems are never a bother. People are here for you, they want to help support you and listen to you. I want to support you. I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere. Everything’s gonna be okay. I love you.” 

You couldn’t stop the fresh tears from falling, quiet hiccups taking over you as you cried into his shirt. “I love you too,” you managed somehow.

Bakugou rubbed a hand over your back, his chin coming to rest on your head as he sighed. “I’m not going to let you give up on yourself, no matter what.”

[twst-bs]

TWST Vice Dorm Leaders and a Stressed-out MC

I couldn't leave out the Vice Dorm Leaders! I'm just used to working in chunks of seven because of my Obey Me! writing. I'll do a piece for all of the other characters as well!

Note: I wrote most of these to be ambiguous, but Ortho's in meant to be read as platonic. I just wanted to give the little dude some love.

-----

Trey: "Do you not like it?"

They only just barely managed to catch their fork before it clattered against the plate. With everything going through their head at a mile a minute, they had completely forgotten what they were supposed to be doing.

“No! I mean, yes, I like it!” they stumbled over their words, pasting a hopefully-convincing grin on their face.

“Really?” Trey fixed them with a knowing look and they felt themselves wither beneath it. “Because you only took one bite before staring off into middle distance.”

“Oh,” their grin turned sheepishly. “Sorry.”

“Something on your mind?” he asked, taking a seat on the stool across from them. “You’re awfully quiet.”

Damn it, they had really hoped Trey wouldn’t figure them out. Or at least take more than ten minutes.

The pressure had been mounting lately. Trying to stay on top of impossible classes, watching over Grimm, the ever-looming problem of them not being able to go back to their own world and the moral dilemma of if they even wanted to go back...they had a lot of things on their mind, and they didn’t even know where to start.

This was supposed to be a light-hearted little night in. Trey had found a new recipe he wanted to try out, and they were always willing to be the taste-tester. But, of course, good old anxiety had decided to drop in and ruin the fun, and the cute date night had turned south before it had even really begun.

“Hey, easy,” Trey’s voice cut through the fog that was slowly descending over their brain. “I know that face. Will talking about it help or hurt?”

“...I don’t know,” they mumbled, setting their fork down. “I’m sorry, Trey, I -”

“Nope.” he reached across the kitchen island and gently slipped his hand beneath theirs. They squeezed it back, letting him run his thumb over their knuckles as they tried to fight down the panic that threatened to burst from within. “No apologies are necessary. Take your time.”

“But I ruined our date,” they sighed, shoulders slumping. “Just because I couldn’t get out of my own head for a few hours.”

“Riddle couldn’t get out of his own head for almost two decades, and I’m still friends with him.” Trey chuckled. “Your mental well-being is more important than a silly date night. You can talk to me about anything, any time, anywhere, and I won’t be angry with you, promise.”

“...Can I still have the cake?”

“Yes, you can still have the cake.”

Ruggie: It had been another long night.

Sleepless nights were a pretty common occurrence for the Ramshackle Prefect, unfortunately. Even if they were dead tired at the end of the day, they often tossed and turned the whole night, managing maybe a few hours of sleep at best. Which often led to days like this.

They could barely keep their eyes open, even as they walked to their next class. They were on autopilot, going through their daily motions. The books in their bag felt like they might as well be boulders, and the thought of climbing the stairs made them want to cry. Their legs felt like lead.

“Gotcha!”

They definitely didn’t scream when a pair of lithe arms wrapped around their middle. No way, you have no proof.

“Sheesh, herbivore, you’re loud.” Ruggie snickered, hooking his chin over their shoulder. “You could wake the dead like that. Is that how you wake up the ghosts in your dorm?”

“Ruggie, you scared the hell out of me!”

“Your fault for not payin’ attention!” He gave them a fond squeeze around the middle before letting them go. “I’ve been walkin’ behind you since you left your class. You wouldn’t survive a day in the Savannah, walkin’ around with your head in the clouds like that.”

“Why didn’t you say anything, instead of stalking me like a creep?”

“Where’s the fun in that?” Ruggie cackled. However, his snarky grin dropped from his face when he got a good look at them. “Hey, you aren’t lookin’ so good.”

“Didn’t sleep very well,” they shrugged, readjusting the strap on their bag so it wasn’t digging into their shoulder. Ruggie scowled, eyes narrowing.

“Again?”

They stuck their tongue out at him. “It’s not like I do it on purpose.”

The hyena stared at them for a little bit longer before sighing. “I guess it can’t be helped. Come on.” he grabbed their wrist, tugging them in the opposite direction of their next class.

“Hey, where are we going?”

“Back to Ramshackle,” Ruggie said lightly.

“Oh, but you scold Leona when he skips?” they poked him in the side with their free hand, and he squirmed away.

“Leona doesn’t need three afternoon naps,” the hyena sniggered. “You look like you could use a coma.”

Jade: “Thank you again for helping out.”

Their arms felt like jelly. Their legs were about ready to fall off. Their face hurt from having to put on a fake smile for the past few hours.

“No problem!” they said brightly. The fake smile could last a few more minutes. “I guess Floyd can’t give you guys more notice when he decides to skip his shift, huh?”

“No, Floyd does what he wants, when he wants.” Jade chuckled lightly, wiping his hands on the towel draped over his arm. Friday nights at the lounge were always busy, so of course that was when Floyd decided he didn’t want to work. Mostro Lounge didn’t have that many options, so Jade had called and asked them if they would mind helping out.

Honestly, they should have said no. They were tired, they had a lot of homework to do, and they honestly just needed a night to themselves for once. But, the thought of letting someone down triggered a deep and primal fear in them, and before they even really knew what they were doing, they had agreed. And here they were.

“...would you like?”

They had to stop themselves from physically shaking themselves out of their trance. “What? I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you.”

Jade raised an eyebrow, but politely decided not to comment. “One of the rules at the Lounge is that those who work that day get a free meal after their shift. I asked what you would like.”

“Oh! Um, I’m fine, really, I wouldn’t want to -” their stomach chose that moment to disagree, grumbling loudly in protest of not being fed. How long had it been since lunch? Had they even eaten lunch?

“Both I and your stomach insist, it seems.” Jade pulled out his waiter’s pad. “You’ve earned a meal for your hard work.”

“But -”

“You aren’t troubling anyone.” Jade cut in, seemingly more in tune with their thoughts than they were. “And I wouldn’t have been angry with you if you had turned down my request for help.”

“How did you -”

“Now, what would you like to eat?”

The two of them stood at an impasse for a moment.

“...the tomato basil bisque and grilled cheese sounded good.”

Jamil: “You’re going to chop your fingers off.”

They almost hit the ceiling when Jamil’s hand covered their own. They hadn’t even realized their hands had been shaking until his warm palm steadied theirs.Gently, carefully, he brought the knife down onto the vegetables they were chopping in a nice, clean cut.

“You don’t have to help if you aren’t feeling well.” Jamil took the knife from their hands, setting it down on the cutting board. Kalim had spontaneously announced another one of Scarabia’s famous parties, and of course that left most of the prep work to Jamil. Although Kalim was at least handling the decorations this time. Baby steps.

When they heard the news a few days prior, they had offered to help, and Jamil had practically deflated with relief. Every time Kalim held a party at the dorm, Jamil felt like a zombie for at least the next day and a half. They had personally seen him take a basketball to the face because he had been so tired. Although that might have been Floyd messing with him.

But, of course, when they woke up the day of the party, something had felt off. Nothing in particular had caused them to feel strange, but it could have been a bunch of little things. Regardless of the cause, it was a day best spent alone, dealing with the random anxiety. But, they had made a promise, and even though they wanted to back out, said anxiety also wouldn’t let them for fear of inconveniencing someone even a little bit.

“I’m fine, I’m fine,” they grinned, shaking their wrist out. “Just spent a bit too long working on Trein’s homework. I’m pretty sure you get better grades if you write long paragraphs.”

“The trick is to make them long and unnecessarily fancy,” Jamil’s lips quirked upwards as he hip-checked them out of the way. “And don’t think you can distract me.”

“Damn it.”

Jamil shook his head. “Don’t push yourself so hard.”

“Pot meet kettle, Jamil.”

“I’m serious.” he leveled them with a steely look that had them feeling like a child getting scolded. “Honestly, with all of the stuff you do for everyone, I’m surprised you haven’t cracked yet.”

“...Me too, honestly.”

“See? Give yourself a break every once in a while.”

“Only if you do, too, Mr. I-Don’t-Need-Any-Help.”

His stern look softened until he was smiling fondly at them, warmth in his eyes. “Deal.”

Rook: “Non, non, this is unacceptable.”

They had heard Rook’s footsteps as he approached, which meant he wanted them to notice him. Otherwise he would have been completely silent.

Hand still on the spine of the book they were attempting to ease out of the tightly-packed library shelves, they turned to look at him. “What’s unacceptable?”

“The hunch to your shoulders, mon bijou.” the hunter swept dramatically into the light. “The sallowness of your skin. The shadows beneath your eyes!”

“Rook…”

“You look very tired, my dear.” Rook dropped his usual flamboyant act, approaching them with concern shining in his eyes. “Are you alright?”

“Just…” after a moment, they turned to him and rapped their knuckles lightly against their head. “A lot going on up here, you know?”

“I do,” Rook nodded. “You have many things to be worrying about, don’t you?.”

He stepped forward, grasping both of their hands in his. They were trembling lightly, since when had that started?

“You know I pride myself in being a protector of all things beautiful,” Rook gave their hands a squeeze. “And seeing your beautiful heart burdened so...it is my duty to ease it’s weight. So please, if there is anything I can do to help, tell me.”

Ortho: “Sorry for bothering you like this, Ortho.”

The little robot-boy smiled. “It’s no problem! I’m glad to help! Something as simple as a body scan is no trouble.”

The two of them were sat in the Ignihyde lounge. It was late enough that most of the dorm members had holed themselves up in their rooms - Ignihyde wasn’t known for its social butterflies, after all. But Ortho had still been up and about when the Ramshackle Prefect came knocking.

The infirmary closed around 5pm, although there was a nurse on-call for emergencies. So when something was wrong with a student, but not necessarily life threatening, they went to NRC’s resident robot. Ortho could scan for most problems in seconds, and more than once the nurses had asked to borrow him.

The little scanner on his chest opened up. The blue light swept over the Prefect’s body for a few seconds before Ortho beeped and the light disappeared.

“Heart rate: 102. No physical cause detected.” he reported. “It looks like you’re a little bit stressed.”

“...Yeah, that tracks.” they sighed. “I guess there’s nothing you can do for general anxiety, huh?”

“I don’t think so.” Ortho shrugged, looking sad. “I’m sorry, I wish I could help more.”

“It’s okay!” the Prefect smiled. “You did help! I was worried I was sick or something.”

Ortho still didn’t look satisfied. “But...ah!” he hit his fist against his palm. They could practically see the lightbulb go off in his head. Actually, they were a little surprised Idia had not installed that feature yet. “There is one thing I can do.”

“What’s that?”

The Prefect made a soft “oof” sound as Ortho darted forward and wrapped his arms around them. He was a little cold, being made of metal, but the thought was there.

“Internet research says that sometimes a hug can make people feel better. Does it work? I hope it works.”

They felt like they were going to cry. Or explode. Or both. “Yeah, I think it works.”

Lilia: “You don’t need to look so stressed, you know.”

Lilia laughed when the Ramshackle Prefect jumped, fangs poking out. “You’ve wound yourself so tightly, I wonder if you’ll break.”

To be fair, the Diasomnia lounge could be quite intimidating. It often took first years a few solid months to be comfortable in it. So Lilia wasn’t surprised that the human was ill at ease sitting there as Lilia served the two of them tea.

“That old story about being trapped in the Fae world if you eat their food isn’t true, you know.” Lilia sat down on the couch opposite of them, taking a sip of his tea. “At least, not that I’m aware of.”

The human squirmed slightly, and Lilia sighed. “Go on, drink. This is the type of tea I used to give to Malleus when he couldn’t sleep.”

The image of a baby Malleus being soothed by Lilia was so ridiculously cute that it brought a smile to their face. Lilia hummed happily in response.

“There’s the smile I was looking for.” he set his cup down. “Now, what brings you here so late? Nightmares again?”

“...Yeah…” they sighed, the tension in their body falling away like someone had cut the strings of a marionette. “I just wish they would stop so I could sleep.”

“Do you want to talk about them?” Lilia asked.

“It’s the same one, it’s always the same one.” they groaned, reaching for the tea cup. It smelled of chamomile and lavender, a perfect sleeping concoction. “I’m being chased, but I can’t tell by what, and every time I turn a corner the thing gets closer, and - and -”

“Hush, don’t work yourself up.” he moved from his spot on the couch to sit next to them. “Take a drink, there’s a good child.”

They took a sip of tea, focusing on the feeling of warmth down their throat as a way to ground themselves to the present. “I’m sorry.”

“You needn’t apologize,” Lilia murmured, reaching up to pet their hair. “Drink your tea, now, and I’ll make sure you get some sleep.”

[monsterfloofs]

The Ghost in the Parlor (Sfw and anonymous protagonist!)

It was one in the morning when you rose from bed, sliding on a pair of slippers and feeling your way through the dark to exit your room. The sound was faint, barely audible, but you knew. . .

He was playing tonight.

As you weave your way towards the stairs, you could hear the chords beneath you, the stirring voice of a piano pulling you through dark corridors. As you stop and peer over the banister. You can see from up above, candles alight with a ghastly blue fire. Their light casting eerie wisps of shadows to dance upon the floor. In the middle of this spectral scene was a luminous form sitting at the old grand piano. His spindly fingers like spiders upon the keys, procuring the tune that wafted up the stairs. The sound is sweet and melancholic, mourning things that have been lost, and the ever present march of time. Always moving, never relenting.

You knew all this because you had asked him, it was his favorite tune to play. He played it often and there were times where you could almost feel his deep rooted bittersweet sadness. Tears would spring to your eyes and you would have to mop your face with your sleeve. Tonight the song felt especially lonely and with careful footing you crept down the stairs, your shadow timidly trailing after.

"Have I disturbed you?" His melodic voice intones as you sit down beside him. "No, I came to hear you play, if you would have me as company mister Sterling." "Sleep is for the living" he sighs wistfully, "You should be asleep, dreaming sweet dreams of tomorrow." 

He talks to you but his hands, ah his quick and nimble hands keep playing. You watch them sweeping across the keys, mesmerized until he stops. You blink and look up at him. His face is turned towards yours, an eyebrow quirked inquisitively. "A little distracted, were we?" You smile sheepishly, "Ah, yes, I'm sorry, but your hands do work magic. What had you been saying?"

He gives an embarrassed huff, "It's late is it not?" They pale eyes staring at you unblinkingly from beneath round vintage glasses. "Well yes," you reluctantly agree, "But I have missed your nightly performances. And I was hoping you could give me another lesson tonight." You say softly as he flexes his long spindly fingers. "Ooh. . . perhaps. You have always been kind to me. Letting me keep you up at odd hours of night with my prattling."

"You know I would stay even if you didn't give me a lesson. Your music is beautiful." He turns his head away from you, but you can see a hazy pink color introduce itself onto his countenance. When he turns back the color has all but bled out, except for some swirling traces. "I have had nothing but time to perfect it. Though as despairing as it may be, to watch seasons pass without being able to participate in the world, I still have my music. I wonder, is it what holds me here? Is my comfort my cage? Alas-- Dear, aren't you going to put your hands to the piano? You did ask for a lesson you know."

You look up at him before doing as he asks. Aligning your fingers to the keys, "I thought you were still deciding. . ."  "Oh," they respond absentmindedly, "Don't mind me, I'm particularly lost in my thoughts tonight, death, life, it's all just one big mess. . ." Sterling rambles on talking about music as you sit together playing chords and sections of songs. As you are still learning the basics he keeps things simple, most of the time you are echoing his voice on the piano or remembering notes and chords. But he has seems to have become happier with having someone he can talk to, rather than to stew lost in his own thoughts.

"You are doing quite well," A pleased smile tugging on his lips, his crinkled eyes twinkling. "Have you been practicing?"  "A little. . . Not as much as I would like though." You slid your hands onto your lap and smile. "Thank you for the lesson, I appreciate you taking the time to sit with me and do that. I hope I'm not inconveniencing you."

"Of course not," he sniffs, "I. . . am very fond of your company." There was something with the way he said it, that stirred your heart. You can feel your own face grow a little warm, "I'm glad. . . haha." He glances at you, his hands poised to begin playing again. You swallow hard and press on, "Though I h-have to admit, I am more than a little fond of you."

--BADOOM His hands slip hitting the keys too hard and causes a loud blunder of noise. Practically falling off his chair, Sterling’s hands shielding his face in embarrassment. "I-I. . .WHAT?" He stammers, your eyes widen that he reacted so dramatically. "I just meant that, I c-care about you a lot--" The candles snuff out around and you are suddenly plunged in darkness. The ghost has left the building. 

Your head flops into the piano, a few keys playing as your face presses into them. You give a groan of defeat Dammit! Way to go, you probably just killed him. . . AGAIN. Despite his usual stuffy demeanor he can get easily flustered. He tries to hide it under a punctual and proper air, but was a much shier person than he let on. You liked that about him though, there were little things that he did that just enchanted you. He was a deep thinker, and he always took the time to explain things and be patient with you. So of course, you had to go and fall in love with a ghost. You had been trying to gather the courage to tell him your feelings for about a week now. Slowly working your way towards the right words you say. But like music, timing was just as important as the notes. To be honest you had gotten so nervous you are sure you had fumbled in both regards. You sigh heavily, best head to bed, perhaps you can try and talk to him tomorrow.

You slink away in defeat, retiring to your chamber until sunlight streams through your window. Leaving a dappled trail of light and warmth inside your room. You grumpily turn over in bed, refusing to move until you have properly sulked for just a little while longer. Trying to wrack your brain how you were going to approach the ghostly pianist now. With Sterling being so shy, you weren’t sure if his reaction was bad or good. Only time will tell, but in the meantime you're up and making breakfast. Then busying yourself with doing chores around the house and trying not to let your mind settle too much into last night. You go about whiling away the hours until sunset. That's when Sterling becomes active inside the house. You don’t exactly know where he goes during the daytime. You have attempted in the past to nonchalantly snoop around in the basement but to no avail. 

Before you know it, the sun is setting in the sky. Golden light filtering across the floor, flooding the rooms with dying light. You peer into the parlor, and step inside. Running your hands over the black and white keys. You can feel a faint prick on the back of your neck, you turn around and You startle, coming face to face with the musically inclined ghoul. You put a hand on your heart. "Oh my goodness!-- Sterling!" you sigh weakly, feeling your heart pounding in your chest. “Hello,” He murmurs faintly, you look up at him, feeling suddenly shy. All this time you had been waiting to talk to him, and now only an awkward silence fills the room. Both of you starting to speak at the same time.

“I’m sorry, what were you going to say?”

“N-no that’s alright, please, continue”

“Aaah-- why don’t you go first, I was the person who upset you last night”

A hand flutters anxiously to the glasses upon his crooked nose. "You didn’t upset me. You, w-well surprised me. I  was flattered, but I don’t think you truely want anything to do with this old goat." "H-huh? What do yo--" He cuts you off with a flourish of his hand. "I'm an old man dear, not just old, decrepit. I died in 1839, my bones are buried outside, wouldn't that bother you?" His face flushes an eerie pink and he splutters in embarrassment. "I mean, it should bother you. . . " A light bulb blinks on in your head and you stare at him with new found insight. "Y-you, like me too, don't you. . ." "I beg your pa--" "It was you, wasn’t it?" With a rush of feeling, you practically jump a foot off the ground from excitement. "I was always wondering about those poems left on the door step-" your mouth goes agape. "And those flowers!" His eyes dart back and forth in a panic, his mouth wobbling. "W-what??? Me? I don't know anything about that!" You can tell he's wanting to bolt and you make a grab at one of his translucent hands. Surprisingly your fingers successfully curl around it and his shoulders jerk up. Trying to calm yourself down before trying to talk to him. You were spooking him, a novel thought, but not what you had been intending to do. So you take a different approach, "Why. . . didn't you ever tell me?" The specter is sweating bullets now, he mops his brow with a wispy handkerchief. "I-I” he groans in defeat, “A ghost cannot do romance! A ghost cannot do much of-- of anything! No matter how I felt, I couldn't keep you here, you deserve to be free, to experience life to the fullest. Not to be shackled to me and this house." You flush, truly surprised by his answer. "But, I don't want anyone else, I like you. . ." Tentatively you take his hands and hold them gently in your own. His expression quivers, looking down before he gently pulls away. His fingers wisping through your skin before reconstructing themselves back together. He puts a hand into his breast pocket before he pulls out an envelope with a flowery wax seal. He looks away from you but hands you the letter, his expression flushing as that same red color is introduced into his normal pale blue complexation. You look up at him searchingly before you gently take the letter. The smooth paper has a fragrance like all the rest of the notes you recieved, like roses and vanilla. You carefully peel back the floral seal, opening the envelope.

You watch Sterling lights the candles at the table in the parlor. It has been a week since the two of you had become a couple, and you cannot remember a happier time, then the hours you have spent together. “Didn't you say, a ghost cannot do romance?” You tease him with a smile, your eyes crinkling as you watch him with a loving gaze. He huffs softly, "That I did, and I wish more than anything I could take you to a fine dinner out of this house. . . " He pinches the wick of one last candle, and when he removes his hand, an enchanting blue fire flickers to life. “I think a candlelit dinner at home is just as lovely.” He looks at you for a moment, before he gives a little smile, “If you say so darling.” “I do.” He bends down to give you a chilly peck on the forehead before he sits down at his piano, flexing his fingers before he begins to play. The blue lights of the candles flickering to the sound of his haunting melody. But the tone has changed, no longer lachrymose. You can hear something happy stirring in the song that projects itself out of the house, and into the starlit sky.

[aliendes]

BTS reacts to saying something hurtful and then regretting it PT.1

gifs are not mine!

From this ask: hi, i wanted to request a bts reaction to them saying something hurtful in an argument and instantly regretting it? pls i need some angst/fluff 🥺

AN: WOOO this was a long one. Thank you for the request anon! I know you said angst/fluff, but this was a lot to write lol. This was my first time writing an angsty reaction. I typically write angsty stories, but not reactions, so this was fun! This is part one, if you want a part two, comment/send an ask! I’ll write it if there is interest. THIS IS UNEDITED I’M SORRY - Taehyung’s hurted  they all hurted. 

Warnings: cursing, name calling, mentions of mental illnesses (schizophrenia), being mean? Just really angsty ya’ll - I’m sorry! Oh and a tiny mention of blood, but it’s nothing serious. 

Word count: 4.8k~

Hearing the front door slam shut, you sit up straight in bed. Seokjin is home. You smile softly to yourself and look over at your bedside table. It’s 3:38 in the morning, way later than your boyfriend typically gets home, even during comeback promotions, and they didn’t have a comeback any time soon. Confused, you pulled the covers back and swung your legs out of bed. Walking over to your bedroom door, you slip on your house slippers and quietly open the door. 

Walking down the hallway, you immediately hear rummaging in the kitchen drawers. What is going on? When you round the corner, you are met with the sight of your tall boyfriend, dark hair a mess, rifling through your junk drawer in the kitchen. 

“Jin?” you asked, voice still sleepy and brow furrowed. 

Seokjin whips his head in your direction, ceasing his movements in the drawer. He has dark bags under his eyes, and he looks pale, like he hasn’t slept in days. You knew this to be false, since you slept in the same bed last night. “God damnit, YN!” he roared, walking towards you. Instinctively, you wrapped your arms around your body and stiffened as he neared you. “You scared the shit out of me!”

“Oh! I-I’m sorry,” you muttered, unsure of where Jin’s sudden anger was coming from, “I heard you-”

“You heard the door slam? Yeah, no shit, babe.” Jin walked up to you and was towering over you. You couldn’t decide if you thought he was mad at you or just mad in general. All you knew is that he was fuming. Jin never gets mad, so this had you all the more confused. Just as you were about to ask what was wrong, Jin stormed out of the kitchen and down the hall. You were left standing, gaping towards him, in the middle of the hallway. 

It takes you a moment to get a grip on reality again, but soon after you’re stumbling down the hall back towards your bedroom. You’re feeling a little upset by Jin’s attitude, but you chalk it up to a long day at work. Not thinking too much harder about it, you decide to just get back in bed, it is nearly 4 am now.

As you walk through the bedroom door, you find all the lights on. You squint your eyes and bring your forearm up to your head to block the bright lights from hurting your eyes. Just as you reach the bed, Jin comes out of your walk-in closet. 

“I’m sorry, am I inconveniencing you?” he taunts at the sight of you blocking your eyes, voice nothing like his typical calm and sweet demeanor. 

At this, you decide you’ve had enough. Sitting up from your place on the bed, you spin around and face your usually loving boyfriend. “Seokjin! What is the matter with you?” you try to voice calmly, but it comes out a little more high-pitched than you would like. You throw your arms up in defeat and let them fall limply to your sides. 

“Wrong with me? What do you mean, what’s wrong with me?! You’re the one who can’t seem to put things away!”

You blanch. What was he talking about? “What?”

“My fucking flash drive with all my lyrics on it!” he roars, stomping closer to you. You backup a step as he nears, making him pause and stare down at you. “You were the last one who had it, you wanted to take a look at the songs, wanted to give me ‘feedback’”, he uses air quotes, which only makes you angrier, he had asked you to give him feedback. “Now I can’t fucking find it because you can never put stuff away, you’re always so fucking messy!” he yells, taking the last few steps towards you so he’s looking down at you in an intimidating way. There is no way you’re taking this from him. 

You wrap your arms around yourself again and head straight for the closet and throw on leggings and a sweatshirt.

“Where the fuck are you going?” Jin yells, following you around as you quickly change, “you just gonna leave your messes like always?”

You abruptly stop what you’re doing and send him a glare, “Jin,” you breathe, “I’m trying not to let your shit mood ruin our relationship. Let me. Fucking. Go.” You push past him, shoes in hand, and head straight for your front door. Shoving your feet into your tennis shoes, you grab your backpack and keys, and slam the front door shut on your way out.

Your boyfriend is left standing, dumbfounded, in your shared bedroom. As he looks around him, he realizes what he’s just done. He’s been so caught up in the shit storm today has been that he took it out on you for no reason. It all started this afternoon when his manager asked him for his songs and he couldn’t find the flash drive, then he couldn’t get the choreo right at practice, and he couldn’t even get dinner because of how busy their schedules were. But all of that was no excuse for how he just treated you. In his reverie, he doesn’t hear the slam of the front door. 

Seokjin rushes out into the living room, hands running through his hair as he attempts to chase after you. He looks to the front door, frantically searching for you. He sees that your bag is missing and your keys are no longer on the key hook. Grabbing his jacket, he rushes out the front door, not even bothering to grab his phone or his wallet, just trying to get to you as quickly as possible before he loses you for good. 

“W-what?” your bottom lip trembles as you stare at your hot headed boyfriend. Staring across from his studio from you, are his dark eyes, narrowed and focused on your retreating figure. He had just called you the one thing you didn’t think he would ever throw in your face, he was the one person you never imagined calling you that. “Y-Yoongi-”

“You heard me, YN,” he bites back, “stop acting fucking crazy.”

There it was again. That word. Crazy. He knows it’s a soft spot for you. Your mom was diagnosed with schizophrenia when you were twelve, and you had a rough childhood growing up with her. You knew it ran in the family, and you’ve been terrified of the diagnosis for years, aware that it usually occurs in your early twenties. Yoongi was well aware of this fact, too. He tells you constantly that you are not, in fact, crazy, and that you aren’t going to end up like your mother. But now, standing across from you with his arms folded over his chest, he’s now said it. Twice. And for what? Because you’ve been on his ass the last couple of days about coming home from the studio, begging him to take a break? That was his reasoning. Despite you knowing it’s not true, it still hurt you beyond belief to hear those words coming from the only person in the whole world who insists they would never call you something like that, and now he’s stooping so low because he wants to hurt you. 

You back all the way up until the metal doorknob of Yoongi’s studio door is pushing into your lower back painfully. The feeling grounds you for a moment as you shake your head back and forth quickly, trying to remove the thoughts that your boyfriend has planted there. “I have to go,” you whisper, staring down at the ugly gray colored carpet.

Reaching behind you, eyes still trained on the floor, you crack open the door before turning and slipping out of it. Once the door is closed behind you, you take a second to let out a breath you didn’t know you were holding, closing your eyes tightly. You think you hear movement coming from the studio, but you don’t dare look back. Instead, you take off running down the hallway, unsure of where you were headed, just knowing you needed to get out of there. 

On your way out of the building, you don’t notice Jungkook yelling after you, nor do you notice that you’d forgotten your bag, jacket, and phone in Yoongi’s studio. You just run. 

Back in his studio, Yoongi is contemplating his life choices. Lips pressed together tightly, he sits in his comfy chair and leans his head back. He doesn’t deserve you. He deserves to burn in hell for what he just did to you. He knows it, yet he won't go after you. He knows you need time away from him. 

Yoongi is startled out of his thoughts by the maknae bursting through his door, hand over his heart, panting from the exertion of running up two flights of stairs. 

“Hyung,” Jungkook pants, “It’s YN, sh-she looked really upset, I-I tried to stop her but it was like she couldn’t hear me.”

“I know,” Yoongi says blankly, still staring at his computer.

Jungkook blanches, lips in a small ‘o’ as he lightly shakes his head back and forth in confusion. “What do you mean, you know?”

“I’m the reason she’s upset.”

Jungkook narrows his eyes at the back of his edler’s head, “Hyung, she looked more than ‘upset’. She looked distraught.” Jungkook was getting mad at his member, unsure why he would be okay with you looking the way you did just now. 

“I’ll deal with it later, Kook,” he grumbles, rubbing a hand over his face, “leave it alone.”

“No, Yoongi,” he dropped the honorific, making Yoongi turn around in his chair to stare at his usually overly polite friend, “if you aren’t going after her, I am. Look-” he points to the coffee table, “all her shit is here. You’re really going to let her go like that?”

Yoongi glances at your stuff. Your bag, jacket, and phone are sitting right there in front of him. Shit. He sighs. “I fucked up.”

Walking into your apartment after work, you weren’t expecting to find Hoseok home. He usually doesn’t get home from work until really late at night, unless he’s off. Did you mix up the days again? 

Dropping your bag by the front door, you toe off your shoes and head down the hallway towards the sound of loud music playing. When you reach Hoseok’s home studio door, you gently knock three times, before pushing it open. 

Hoseok is sitting at his desk, a pair of headphones on, music programs open on his laptop. Smiling warmly, you walk over to him, placing your hands softly on his shoulders. You didn’t expect him to startle so violently, but he jumped at your touch, ripping his headphones off his head and standing up from his seated position. It all happened so quickly, it scared you and you jumped backwards, nearly tripping on the fuzzy rug behind you.

“Fuck! YN!” he roared, eyes heated and narrowed at you, “Can’t you fucking see that I’m working?!”

You took another step backwards, eyes blinking rapidly to stop the onset of tears that were threatening to fall. “I-I’m sorry Seok, I-I,”

“You what?” he asked menacingly, “You’re too dumb to notice my headphones. I’m working. Leave me alone.” Hoseok turns around, grabbing his headphones roughly and sits back down in his chair.

You swallow thickly, hot tears burning your eyes, as you take another step backward. This time, you aren’t as lucky, and your heel catches on the rug. In shock, you don’t catch yourself on the way down, falling right on your tailbone, probably bruising it. But in your state of disbelief, you don’t even feel it. 

Hoseok turns around at the loud thump, only to notice you on the floor, tears streaming down your face. Instantly, he regrets everything he just said to you. He’s had a bad day at work, unable to get any lyrics down on paper, and he just took it out on you. His eyes soften, but you don’t notice, too focused on scrambling to your feet and stumbling back down the hallway towards the front door. 

Hoseok stands, walking after you quickly, “YN- wait!”

But it’s too late, you’re already gone. You slipped on your heels and burst through the front door, still in your work clothes. Hoseok runs his long fingers through his hair, tugging at it in frustration, letting out a roar of anger. Could this day get any worse?

It’s been a rough week in yours and Namjoon’s household. At the start of the week, your car broke down, resulting in you having to borrow his, which resulted in him being late for practice multiple times this week. On Wednesday, there was a security breach in your company's database, making it so all employees on your floor had to work from home while they investigated. This meant you and Namjoon were spending more time together throughout the week, which normally wouldn’t be a problem, but your boyfriend has been extremely stressed about the new album that’s being released at the end of the year, and having you at home while he’s trying to write has been incredibly distracting. All of this has resulted in more petty arguments between the two of you, which seemed to come to a head tonight. 

“Joon, please put your laundry in the basket,” you grumble, picking up his dirty sweats and throwing them into the hamper you shared, “I’m working from home for now and I would like it to be clean.”

“Just because your job sent you home doesn’t mean you can hang around all day and tell me what to do. We’ve been living together for two years, YN, you know I leave clothes around.” 

You did know that, and you were sure that if you weren’t stuck in the house all day, it wouldn’t bother you. Much like it hasn’t for the last two years, like Namjoon said. But for whatever reason, the tension between the two of you was high. Both of you were looking for little things to fight about.

“Namjoon, please, just clean up after yourself,” you were exhausted. You didn’t want to argue with him, you just wanted to get back to your data report, but he had other ideas. 

“Can’t you just shut up for once?” Namjoon sneers, looking at you through narrowed eyes, arms crossed over his chest, and leaning against the doorframe. 

“Excuse me?” you bite back, turning around and glaring at your tall boyfriend, who was now walking towards you, arms still crossed. 

“You heard me, YN,” he growled, “just shut up and leave me alone. You’re always nagging me, it’s fucking annoying.”

That was it. You didn’t even offer a response, instead, turning around and grabbing your laptop. Walking over to the closet, you grab a backpack and shove some clothes and your laptop inside it. 

“What the fuck are you doing?” he asks, coming towards you, “Where are you going?” His last sentence sounded a bit more panicked, the edge to his voice gone. 

“What does it look like, Namjoon?” you scoffed, still stuffing things into your bag, “You literally just told me to leave you alone. No problem.” Shoving the last of your stuff into your bag, you stomp out of the room, grabbing your phone, purse and keys from the coffee table. 

“YN-”

“No, Namjoon. You said to leave you alone,” you said blankly, staring up at his dark eyes, “goodbye.”

You turn on your heel and open the door, letting it slam shut behind you. 

Smiling to yourself, you push the button in the elevator, watching the sleek chrome doors close in front of you. You’d just picked up Jimin’s favorite takeout and we’re bringing it up to him in the practice room. It was your weekly routine, every Thursday after your last class, you’d come and have an early dinner with him before his late practice.

Stepping off the elevator, you could hear the loud music coming from down the hall in the practice room. Smiling even brighter at the thought of seeing your sweet boyfriend, you make your way down the hallway with the warm food in your arms. 

Pushing the door open with your foot, you instantly see Jimin and Hoseok dancing in the middle of the room. Deciding to not be a bother, you head to the corner and set the food down on the table, carefully taking everything out and plating it. After a few minutes, you hear the music cut off and Jimin and Hoseok talking intensely across the room. You don’t really pay attention, not one to eavesdrop, and patiently wait for your boyfriend to be done. 

After a few moments of what sounded like arguing, Jimin walks over to the table, placing a hand on the small of your back and leaning over to kiss the top of your head. You smile at the gesture, but when you turn around, it’s not Jimin, but your best friend, Hoseok in his place. “Hey bub,” he whispers, leaning down to speak into your ear, “I think you should go home.”

“What do you mean? It’s Thursday…” you trail off, looking behind your bubbly best friend to see your boyfriend, sulking in the corner, arms crossed, sitting on the floor. “What happened?”

“Don’t worry about it,” Hoseok says gently, smiling down at you, “I’m sure he’ll tell you later, but you know how he gets.” You nodded, because yes, you do know when he gets into these moods, he’s hard to talk to. 

“Okay, just let me make sure he’s okay,” you start to walk towards your boyfriend's small frame, but a hand on your shoulder stops you.

“I really don’t think that’s a good idea, bub.” Turning towards Hoseok, you smile up at him, but he doesn’t return the gesture, sending worry down your spine.

“It’s okay,” you whisper, turning back towards Jimin. You don’t see the way Hoseok winces when you walk towards the younger man and crouch down next to him.

“Jimin?” you ask sweetly, making him glance up at you before fixing his gaze on the wall. 

“Please leave, YN,” he says flatly.

“I am. But, I just wanted to make sure you’re okay and to let you know that I left food-” 

“You never fucking listen, YN!” Jimin screamed, standing up and making you fall back onto your butt. The force of the fall makes a loud thump on the wooden floor, making Hoseok rush over to make sure you’re okay. “I told you to leave!” You flinch as Jimin’s arms fly up in frustration.

Helping you up, Hoseok sends a pointed look at his friend, “Jimin,” he warns. Like a flip was switched, Jimin’s eyes instantly softened at the sight of you cowering in fear on the floor, your face pushed into Hoseok’s chest. Jimin realizes what he’s just done and immediately pulls his arms down to the side, horrified at himself for scaring you like that. 

“I-I’m sorry,” he mumbles, swallowing thickly. 

Wiping tears from your wet cheeks, you allow Hoseok to stand you up straight, before you’re taking off out of the practice room and back into the elevator you came up on. 

Hoseok sighs, watching your back as you fly down the hallway. When he turns to look at Jimin, the younger man realizes that if looks could kill, he’d be six feet under right now. At the realization of what he’s just done, he breaks down, knees hitting the floor, face falling into his hands. Hoseok doesn’t help him, he just walks away, in search of his broken best friend.

Taehyung lets his duffle bag slip off his shoulder and hit the floor with a muted thump. Walking further into your shared apartment, he sees your half-eaten dinner sitting in the kitchen sink, his portion packed away and on the countertop. He lets out a sigh at the sight. He knew he should’ve been home hours ago, knew he should’ve texted you to let you know, but it slipped his mind. He was so caught up at practice, he couldn’t be bothered to go and find his phone. 

Taehyung has had a really long day. First thing this morning, he was yelled at by his manager about something he had posted on Weverse the night before, and then it escalated into having to talk about the lyrics for his new song that he hasn’t been able to finish. He knows he’s been walking on thin ice with the company lately, but things have been getting better, or at least he thought they were.

Walking down the hall he noticed that your bedroom light is off, which is unusual. He checked his watch, it’s only 11 pm, not that late in your book. You were usually up until 1 or 2 in the morning. 

Pushing open the door, he sees your small frame curled up under the thin sheet on the bed, comforter pushed onto the floor. Upon hearing the door creak, you sit up slightly, turning towards the source of the sound.

“Taehyung?” you whisper into the darkness, not yet having fallen asleep, but incredibly exhausted from your workout earlier. 

“Hey,” he responds quietly. You can hear in his voice that something is wrong, and you immediately scramble to get out of bed and over to your boyfriend. 

“What’s wrong, honey?” you ask sweetly, looking at him through dark lashes. You’re so beautiful, even in your sleepy state that it almost hurts him. You’re too good for him. Always so caring and kind, even when he’s been the absolute opposite towards you. How can you always be so happy and optimistic? Even when the world is against you? He envies your positivity, and some days he wishes you would rub off on him a bit more. 

“Nothing,” he grunts, shaking your hand off his arm. The look of hurt that flashes across your face hurts his heart. He knows he’s being bitter and has no reason to be, sometimes it’s just hard being around your bubbly self when he’s become so self-loathing, “Just go to sleep.”

“Tae?”

“What,” it comes out harsher than he meant it to, making you flinch, face scrunching up in confusion.

“Did I- did I do something?” you ask quietly, biting your bottom lip a little too hard, nervous for his answer.

He lets out a rough sigh, “Yeah, actually,” he starts, “why can’t you just leave me alone for once? Just because you’re always happy and in a good mood, doesn’t mean I am.”

You shake your head in confusion, “I- I know, Tae. I’m sorry if my mood upsets you-”

“Stop!” he roars, making you step back, “Just, stop, okay?! Stop apologizing, stop being so nice, stop being so fucking perfect!”

You’re so taken aback and dumbfounded, you can’t think of words to say, instead forming a small ‘o’ with your lips and sulking backwards. You attempt to make yourself as small as possible, arms wrapped around your middle, head bowed low, as he continues his barrage.

“Just because you’re the fucking poster child for positivity doesn’t mean that everyone else has to be, too! I wish you would just get mad sometimes. You aren’t normal, YN!” The moment the words leave his mouth, he knows he fucked up. He doesn’t want you to get mad, he loves your personality. It’s one of the reason he absolutely fucking adores you. He doesn’t ever want you to be mad, or sad, but yet, as you stare back at him with glassy eyes and a bloody lip from how hard you’re biting it, all he sees is sadness. “YN- I,” he starts, but you’re already running into your shared bathroom and locking the door behind you.

He rushes towards the door but is too late, feeling a gust of air blow off of it from the force of being closed. Pushing his forehead against the cold wood, he lets out another sigh. Before he even has a chance to speak, he hears your broken sobs right on the other side. You must be leaning against the door, too. His heart crumbles into pieces at the fact that he just broke you. The love of his life, his sunshine, his world. 

Singing to yourself, you dance around your kitchen, prepping all the vegetables you have laid out for your dinner tonight. You were making a simple stew with vegetables and beef. It was one of Jungkook’s favorite recipes of yours and since he was off tomorrow, you wanted to surprise him with a nice cooked meal. 

Entering the apartment, Jungkook instantly smelled food cooking from the kitchen. It smelled heavenly, but his sour mood from the day and the fight he had earlier with Namjoon was enough to make him not hungry for whatever it was that you were cooking. 

Rounding the corner into the kitchen, he drops his keys on the marble countertop, startling you. You gasp, dropping the knife you were holding onto the cutting board, instantly pulling your hand to your chest. Turning around, you notice your boyfriend staring at you curiously. 

“Fuck, YN,” he says, rushing over to you, “let me see.”

You hold your hand out to him, finger stinging in pain and eyes filling with tears at the feeling. He takes your hand carefully, looking over the superficial cut. “It’s not that deep, YN. Just get a bandaid.”

He releases your hand and you blink up at your normally kind and caring boyfriend. You could see the bags under his eyes and the exhausted look on his face, but something else was hiding just under the surface. You sniffle a couple times, fighting back the tears from cutting yourself. 

“I uh - I’m making dinner,” you say, trying to change the subject, embarrassed about cutting yourself and worried that he might be mad at you, “it should be done soon.”

“I’m not hungry,” he mutters, heading to the fridge to grab a water bottle, “I’ll be in the office.”

“Kook,” you say, walking after him, “wait, are you oka-” 

Before you could finish your sentence, your foot was catching on the kitchen rug, making you slip and fall forward directly into Jungkook’s back.

Turning around just in time to catch you, Jungkook picks you up and stands you back up. “Jesus, YN,” he grumbles, “how fucking clumsy can you be?”

“W-what?” you ask, clutching your still bleeding finger to your chest.

“You’re like a child, you can’t do anything on your own. You’d probably end up burning the house down if I wasn’t here.”

You were shocked. Jungkook has never spoken to you like that before. Never in the three years you’ve been together has he been this cold. Never has he made fun of your clumsiness before, always claiming he thought it was a cute quirk of yours. 

Huffing a sigh, Jungkook turns back around and heads down the hall to his office. Still shell shocked, you sink to the floor, mind reeling from his words. A child? Did he really think that of you? In a daze, you don’t realize the blood dripping onto the floor, mixing with salty tears. 

Once Jungkook closes the door to his office, he pushes his forehead against the frame, realizing what he’s just said. He was mad at Namjoon, not you, and he was finding reasons to take it out on you. He’s never been so cruel to you, and he instantly regrets it, wanting to find you and make it right.

Speed-walking towards the kitchen, he notices the stove top still on, vegetables boiling, but you’re nowhere to be found. He quickly shuts off the burner. Maybe there was some truth to his words. No, he shakes the thought off, now is not the time. Stepping around the kitchen counter, he steps into a small puddle of blood and water… or were those tears? Shit.

He hurries into the living room, calling your name, but you aren’t there either. Heading back down the hall to check the bedroom, he sees the front door is open and your bag is missing. Eyes screwed shut, Jungkook lets out a long sigh. He really fucked up. 

[like-rain-or-confetti]

Avoidance (Jane Volturi x Reader)

You went looking for Felix, even checking the library when you couldn't find him anywhere else. Felix didn't read. He couldn't stand it, if there were anyone to never be in the library it was Felix. To your slight horror and surprise you found your mate, Jane, instead. 

Whilst you two were mates, she was still quite cold and hostile around you most of the time. It was a very rare time that she let down her guard and really enjoyed spending time with you. It impacted you by feeling as though you were constantly walking on eggshells with her. So much so you eventually had begun to avoid her. Much to her disapproval although she never let it show. 

"Hey, uhh, is Felix here? Have you seen him?" You asked her.  "Of course, he isn't. This is the library." She said with a matter of fact tone as she beckoned you into the room. You complied standing in front of her as she asked. "Why are you looking for him?" "Oh, I just wanted to talk to him, really. Nothing important." You assured her. "Wouldn't you rather talk to me?" She asked lightly although her gaze was just empty as it had ever been. You dropped your gaze, stumbling slightly for words before Jane leaned back with a hardened gaze directed towards the window beside her. "Of course, you wouldn't." She said lowly. You immediately felt guilty, not wanting her to get the impression you wanted nothing to do with her.  You moved to sit on the window set beside her. "Actually Jane, can we talk for a bit instead? I haven't seen you in a while." You seemed to have surprised her as she straightened slightly, her eyes quickly moving back to yours. "I'd like that." She said quietly. 

Gradually you had warmed up to her, finding she was trying her best not to scare you at first and then she realised it was easier to speak to you than she had thought. The mate bond giving you both the confidence you needed. You hadn't even noticed that during your conversation, you had gotten closer to her. Jane's eyes ran over you once, noting your intense stare on the detail of her dress. Your finger trailed over the pattern on her skirt, delicately. "Will you accompany me to my room?" She asked. You hesitated for a moment. "Yeah, okay." You said after a moment meeting her gaze with a small smile. The two of you slid off the window seat as you let Jane lead the way. 

You immediately noticed Jane had a small loveseat in her room opposite her bed. However, Jane paid no mind to it and instead sat on her bed. She gave you an expectant look. Although you were uncertain if that was an invite. She patted the bed beside her. "Come sit with me." That was definitely an invitation. You complied, climbing upon the bed beside her. "Do you ever use this?" You asked, looking down at the perfectly made bed. You were consciously aware that every tiny little movement you made, intentional or not, messed it up that little bit more. "Not often." Jane responded. "We have no use for them but they're a comfort. It's better than anything I had when I was human. I tend to lay on it rather than in it." You nodded, pleasantly surprised with how much of a response you had received. 

Without warning, Jane reached out for your hand and brought it to rest on her knee. Your heart had then began to race. You knew had a good reason to avoid touching Jane as you had since the beginning. If she wanted physical contact then she had the control to initiate it on her own terms. She wasn't a particularly affectionate person, or at least, towards nearly every other person than Aro and Alec. It seemed like affection had to be earned with her and you didn't want to upset her by pushing her limits. Whilst she had hugged you briefly, even giving a quick kiss to the cheek on the days she's feeling generous. Those were rare, barely one or two occasions, any other contact is her guiding you out of someone's way or in the direction she wanted you to go. All of the above was quick and felt very forced with very little meaning behind it. 

This display of affection didn't feel forced and was longer than any touch combined had been. Even more so, you felt the genuine emotions she had for you. You really hoped it was love behind her actions. "Why are you looking at me like that?" She asked quietly. "Wh-What do you mean?" You stammered. "You're looking at me with fear and confusion. I'm asking why." Jane responded. "O-oh. I just wasn't expecting you to do that. I've always had the impression that you didn't like me touching you." You answered. "I didn't, at the beginning." She said. "However you've been here for months and I've been trying to get used to you. Although I will tell you that you haven't made it easy for me." You paused, uncertain of what to say and Jane could see that plainly on your face. Your brow had furrowed even more. "I am aware that you avoid me, (Y/N). You know when I'm not on guard or with my brother and most of the time you seek out Felix or another guard before I can consider going to you. Any other time, you tend to be on your own." 

So perhaps it was painfully obvious when hearing Jane's perspective upon it. Although you thought you had been doing her a favour or that she simply didn't care. "I thought it was what you wanted." You responded quietly. "I didn't think you wanted to see me and me being preoccupied meant you didn't have to." "It was, in the beginning." Jane admitted. "I wanted that because it meant next I could keep you distanced from me. It would just be myself and my brother, serving Aro. However recently you have been on my mind.” Jane looked away, staring at the floor across the room. "Until I realised very recently that I didn't want you so far from me. You spend too much time with Felix. So much so, it looks like you're his mate- not mine. I don't like that." Jane paused thinking for a moment, seemingly unsatisfied with her previous statement. "If you had a problem, if you were in trouble or upset, I know you'd go to Felix or Demetri. Although you should be coming to me. At first, I thought that was your fault. I was angry with you for always spending time with them and avoiding me. However I've been thinking about it and have recognised it isn't your fault. The problem is my behaviour. It's not easy leaving everything you knew behind to live with us. There is still a lot you don't understand about our kind and you've been adapting to that. My behaviour has led you to believe you cannot approach me for anything and instead must go to Felix or Demetri or any other more sociable guard. I am the last person you'd go to out of the fear that your inconveniencing me, when I should be the first person because your my mate. No one else's. That is why I've been trying to get you alone recently. I want to show you that I care and that if anything were to ever happen to you...I want to know about it. I don't want to hear it from Felix or Demetri or anyone else. I want to hear it from you. That is why I was disheartened when you came to, finally, only to be told you were looking for Felix. Then I became even more disheartened because you weren't comfortable talking to me. You never even said what you wanted him for. Even after I offered, you still wanted him. It's wrong and I don't like it. However I caused that and therefore it's up to me to fix it." You were taken aback by how vulnerable Jane had been. You slowly nodded. "I'll come to you." You assured her. "I didn't want to bother you and..." You paused, catching yourself before you spoke the words. However, Jane tugged you that little bit closer to her with your conjoined hands. Her eyes on you, once more. Silently promoting you to finish the sentence. "...I was worried about how you'd react about anything when it came to me. I see what you're capable of and it's frightening sometimes." You admitted quietly.  After a moment of silence you regretted saying it. Having admitted that you were sometimes afraid of her. As she let go of your hand, your heart sank.

In silence she pushed you back, gently, hovering over you as you lay back on her bed. You felt one of her legs cage both of yours, ensuring you wouldn't have gone anywhere. Jane's expression was stoic, even as she leaned closer to you, her cold hand against your cheek. "You don't ever have to be afraid of me." She whispered to you. "You're special." Jane's thumb brushed against your cheekbone. "You, Alec, Aro, Caius and Marcus are the safest people in the world." She smiled slightly at you. "Never be afraid of me." She whispered quietly before closing the gap between you, kissing you softly on the lips. You inhaled in surprise and you felt a small smile of amusement against your lips. This was your first kiss with Jane. Your first real kiss to the lips with Jane and you felt your chest flutter within your chest. Perhaps your heart skipping a beat only for her. 

She softly broke the kiss with a small smile. "Your heart is pounding." She said quietly. "I think it might give out." You said breathlessly. Jane hummed in amusement. "No, it won't." You weren't so sure, your mind still feeling at the memory of her lips on yours. "Don't forget to breathe." She whispered and that was when you realised you really had been holding your breath. You released the breath you were holding before taking a deep breath in.  Jane smiled softly at you before moving to sit on her knees beside you. 

She gently lifted your wrist moving your hand to press against her own cheek this time. "Are you alright?" Jane asked. You nodded. "I'm good." You said with a slight smile. It made Jane smile too. "When we're alone, you get this side of me. I'm not one for showing such affection around others. It's inappropriate. I might not always show my feelings, (Y/N) but it doesn't mean I have none." "I never thought you were unfeeling." You responded. "As long as you know." She said to you with a knowing look. 

Before blinking, her smile vanishing. "My apologies, it seems I am being called upon. An unexpected turn out from a trial. It appears I must leave you." You moved to get off the bed but by the time you sat up, Jane pushed you back down. "Stay here. I'll be back as soon as I'm done." "What do you mean 'stay here'?" You asked. Jane turned to you as she walked towards her door. "I want you here." "I'm sensing a pattern with you and the phrase 'I want'." You tilted your head at her. She smiled innocently at you though her eyes gleamed with mischief. "I always get what I want." 

It had been three hours. After the first hour and a half, you had fallen asleep. Jane stood over you, looking down at your sleeping form without any expression. Her love wasn't easily found. However, if you were patient enough, it would eventually show. She reached out, stroking her fingers along your cheek. You jolted grabbing her wrist with a gasp. Her hand was freezing to the touch but just someone touching you often made you jump. She hushed you softly. "Shhh, it's just me (Y/N)." When you saw it was her, you sighed in relief, your head falling back and your tight grip loosened upon her wrist. "Jane, you scared me so bad." You mumbled quietly, sounding like a whine. Her thumb brushed over your cheek. "Go back to sleep. It's okay." Your head drifted to the side, relaxing once more. "Go back to sleep."

[the-golden-ghost]

If you're still doing the prompts, "Call Me" for Lupin and Jigen :)

The call came in late. Lupin wasn’t expecting it, since it wasn’t like Jigen to leave his post during a stakeout, but he answered just the same. “Boss, it’s me,” Jigen’s voice on the other end of the line was steady as usual, but he sounded uneasy. “Are you sure you want to go through with this one?”

“Are you saying you want to give up?” Lupin scoffed. “We haven’t even gotten started yet!”

“I’m saying there’s something off about this place,” there was a pause on the other end. “I think they’re on to us.”

“Did you see something?”

“No, I... that’s part of the problem actually. It’s just too damn still. I don’t like it.”

“Well, tell me when you do see something. Otherwise I’ll be there in four hours like we planned.” As he hung up, a seed of doubt flickered into Lupin’s mind, one that he quickly pushed away. Please, they’d been through hard jobs before, and they always got out okay! Jigen could take care of himself.

Lupin would prepare for trouble, sure, but in less than six hours, that beautiful statue would be sitting in his trophy room, and who’d be worrying then?

~

Less than six hours later, Lupin stormed back into the hideout, tired, annoyed, and bruised, with his car stolen and his friends apparently AWOL. “Where the fuck WERE you guys?” he shouted into the house. “I thought we were in this together!”

No one answered, which was... troubling. “Guys? Jigen? Goemon? Fujiko?”

Nothing. Where would they have gone? Did they bail on the job without mentioning it to him? Maybe they just all decided his plan wasn’t worth it. Oh, sure! Maybe they didn’t want the statue because Lupin wasn’t going to sell it and there wouldn’t be any money it for them. What two-faced bastards. Fuming, Lupin went to shower, ignoring the phone when it rang. If they’d all ditched him they could wait twenty minutes for an answer.

The phone rang twice while Lupin was showering and then again once he was out, when he finally decided to pick up. “Hello?”

“Why don’t you answer your phone?” The voice on the other end was hostile. It was Goemon.

“Why don’t you show up at the place I asked you to be at when I asked you to be there?” Lupin snapped back. “You know the job failed, right?”

“That is not my concern any longer. Where are you?”

“I’m at the hideout, asshole! The same place I expected you to be, since you bailed on me!”

“Get here quickly.”

“Get where? And how the hell am I supposed to do that without my car? Someone took it and - you know what, put Jigen on. Is he there?” The line went dead, and Lupin was left staring at the receiver. What was his problem anyway?

Lupin was about to walk away when the phone rang again. “Go to hell,” Lupin snapped, expecting Goemon.

“Lupin?” Fujiko’s voice.

“Fujicakes! I didn’t mean that, sweetheart! Where are you? Are you okay?”

“Lupin... how stupid can you be?”

“What? I don’t even know what’s happening! Goemon just called and started acting like a jerk and then he hung up on me. Are you guys together? What the hell happened?”

Fujiko didn’t reply for a moment. “You seriously don’t know? We had to leave last night. I took your car. Jigen...” she paused. “Jigen got ambushed and shot. We don’t... actually know anything right now about his condition. But he’s in bad shape, and I guess we won’t know anything for a while.”

Lupin tried to find words, but there didn’t seem to be anything to say. “Oh,” he managed after a minute.

“I’ll come pick you up. You should be here.”

~

On the drive over, Fujiko tried to explain what she knew, but Lupin was barely listening. He tried to feel something - rage towards the men who had done this, or horror that his friend was badly injured (and dying?) or even guilt that he’d been the one who sent him there. But he felt nothing about it. His mind was just a buzz of numb denials. Jigen would be fine he’s always fine and everything always goes according to plan except when it doesn’t but even when it doesn’t everything’s always okay we’re all okay everyone is

And the quiet thought but what if he isn’t? was there... somewhere. But beyond that possibility was nothing at all. A void. Beyond that, Lupin could not imagine.

None of it really sank in until he saw Goemon standing in the hospital wing. Unlike Lupin, he did not seem dazed or shaken. Goemon was in his element - he had a purpose, and a fury. But unfortunately, the surgery doors were not a good place to vent it.

“Goemon...” Lupin said, stopping next to his friend. “I’m sorry, buddy.”

Goemon glanced at Lupin. “I am sorry, too.”

So that was that.

There was nothing to do now but wait. Lupin slipped out to disguise himself before anyone caught him. Fujiko had put hers on a long time ago. Goemon hadn’t bothered, but Goemon probably wasn’t recognizable to the general public. As for Jigen, he only needed a false name and an unassuming face. He had one, and the other was easy to give.

~

Waiting sucked. Lupin spent his time flickering between concern and boredom. One minute his mind would be on Jigen, and the next, on his failed heist. Dammit, he hated to lose! But he also knew it wasn’t worth a friend. Still, it seemed like such a bad job, and Jigen wasn’t the sort to give up either.

So Lupin went round in circles like that, only pausing when a particularly fine young nurse walked by. Goemon noticed at once when Lupin moved and caught him by the neck.

“Stay there.”

“Hey, give me a break! You let Fujiko go mess with the computer system! What are you, my babysitter?”

“Just stay there.”

Lupin stayed, grumbling to himself. Goemon never took his eyes off the doors. “Look, man,” Lupin said after a while longer. “I need a break. I’ll be back. I promise I’m not going anywhere.”

“You’re going to see that nurse,” Goemon muttered.

“No, I’m going for a walk!” Lupin replied. “I will be back.”

He just needed air, and to have this damn disguise off. He went outside, took off his fake beard and lingered around the back of the building to smoke. Hospitals weren’t keen on that sort of thing. Bad luck for Jigen, if he made it out of this one. And damn him, he’d better.

When he came back in Fujiko greeted him by the entrance. “He’s out. Room 207. He’s alive and they think he’ll be okay, but he’s still unconscious.”

“Did you go see him?”

“Do you think he’d want me to?” Fujiko shrugged. “No, I didn’t go in there. Goemon’s with him. He wouldn’t know anything about it, either way. You probably don’t have to stay here if you don’t want to.”

Lupin shoved his hands into his pockets and headed down the hall. “Yeah, I do.”

~

It went on like that for a few days. Lupin would visit whenever he could, disguised as a doctor, or a janitor, or even just some guy looking for a relative. Goemon never left. Apparently no one wanted the trouble of trying to remove the fully-armed samurai from the hospital room. Lupin and Fujiko took turns bringing him food, trying (unsuccessfully) to get him to go for a walk and let someone else stand guard, or at least trying (unsuccessfully) to get him to take a nap. It didn’t do any good. Every time Lupin was in there, Goemon was sitting on the windowsill, watching Jigen carefully.

“Does he ever wake up?” Lupin asked. He’d been in there so often and yet every time he came Jigen was the same - dead asleep and unresponsive.

“Sometimes,” Goemon replied.

The next question was going to suck but Lupin had to ask it. “Does he ever ask to see me?”

Goemon nodded, and Lupin felt a rush of honest guilt for the first since this happened. “You just miss him every time. But he understands.”

Jigen’s breathing was harsh and shallow. Part of being shot in the chest, pretty much. Lupin had put his hat over his face the way he usually had it when he slept. Maybe it would help a little. “Wake up, buddy,” he whispered, leaning close to Jigen’s ear. He got no response, and hadn’t expected one. “We still need you.”

~

On the fifth day, Goemon was asleep when Lupin came in. He was still in his guard position, perched on the windowsill, but his head was slumped onto his chest and he was snoring quietly. He jerked up in surprise at Lupin’s entrance, readying his sword, but when he saw who it was he just settled back down and went right back to sleep.

“About time too. I told him to go home and rest but nah. You know he’s too proud for any of that.” At the sound of the voice, Lupin rushed over to the bed.

“Jigen!”

“Glad I’m still recognizable.” He was. His voice was weak and strained and he looked like a man who’d just come back from the brink of death - but there was no doubt he was Jigen.

“I haven’t seen you in five days. I thought - I wasn’t sure you were going to wake up at all.”

“Yeah, that’d be all the drugs. They’re fantastic things, almost make me want to get shot more often. But Goemon already said if I try it he’ll cut my throat, so I think I shouldn’t.”

“He’s been offering to cut a lot of throats lately,” Lupin said, looking fondly over at the samurai. “I think he missed you.”

“I’d say I missed him too, but honestly I don’t remember anything between getting blasted off the roof and waking up a couple hours ago. How’d the rest of the job go? You didn’t get hurt, did you?”

“Nah, just inconvenienced a little. We’ll try it again some other time.” But Lupin wasn’t actually sure they would. It went against his principles - failing to steal what he set out to steal - but then, if things went south again in a worse way... if he lost his partner for good, then he wouldn’t be stealing much of anything again. Ever.

“I thought maybe they’d catch you off guard like they caught me. Glad to know it didn’t happen.”

“Never to me,” Lupin laughed. “But you’re not - you’re gonna be okay, right?”

“Yeah. Eventually. I’m not down for the count just yet.”

Lupin sighed. Okay. He was going to be fine - not that Lupin had ever doubted it, of course, but... “Hey, and are you mad at me?”

“Not really. I wanted to be, but at this point I’m too tired and I think Goemon’s probably given you a hard enough time.”

“Yeah, if you’d died I think he would have hunted me across the face of the earth for the rest of my life,” Lupin said. “...Thanks for not dying.”

“I do my best.”

“Really though. I don’t know what we’d do if we lost you.”

“Eh, guys like me are a dime a dozen. Just gotta know where to look,” Jigen’s voice faded, growing tired. “You’d do okay. It might not be easy to find yourself a new partner who suits your every need but I promise there’s a million of us out there.”

Lupin couldn’t quite agree with that. He’d met hired men before. He met them damn near every day in his work and they were generally all the same. Cruel, angry, violent men who had no care or respect for anything or anybody. Jigen wasn’t like that. But then, Lupin had to wonder, if the two of them had never met, if Jigen had spent the last few years of his life going from job to job, working as a hired thug, and if they’d first crossed paths just yesterday... would Lupin even recognize him, then? Would he have even tried to take him, make a friend out of him?

Yes.

At least, that was what Lupin was going to tell himself. Jigen was drifting off again and there didn’t seem to be much else to say. So Lupin just settled back. Fujiko would be around in an hour with dinner. And even if there was a likelihood she wouldn’t, Lupin believed she would.

It was just easier that way, believing things.

[lordsavemepleaseineedhelp]

Demons by technoblade

chapter 1: this thread... woo...

chapter 2: https://hypixel.net/threads/story-demons-ch-2.621875/

chapter 3: https://hypixel.net/threads/»-story-demons-ch-3.682724/

------------

It had been a pretty terrible day- which is to say, it had been completely normal. After seven hours of desperately trying to keep up with the material learned in each class, I was more than ready to go home. At the front of the class stood Monsieur Merlin, who was wrapping up his lesson on the French past tense- something which I had been completely ignoring. It had been a long day, don't judge me. I'd have plenty of time to learn it later, when I wasn't worn out from school. The bell rang, and our French instructor made a brief announcement- except it was in French, naturally, so I barely understood it. I made out the words 'test' and 'tomorrow,' which rarely meant anything good.

As my classmates quickly escaped the room, I walked up to his desk- he'd asked that I turn in my late assignment after class, which I suspected was more about inconveniencing me than anything else. I started to speak.

"Hi, I have-"

He swiftly interrupted. "PARLEZ-VOUS FRANCAIS!"

Oh, right. I had to speak to him in French. I quickly reviewed tenses and sentence structures in my head, and then gave up and held up my assignment.

"Mon... devoir?"

He sighed, likely because every aspect of my French was an insult to his teaching ability. He reached to take the paper, and right as he closed his hands around my vocabulary list, he froze. His eyes were locked on something behind me.

"Wha-" is all I managed to say, before he dropped my assignment and threw me into the wall.

It hurt. I hit the floor, and started to get up- I was pissed. But my anger quickly turned to shock as I saw three men with assault rifles at the back of the class room, right in front of a large, fluctuating purple hole in the wall. The French teacher ripped his necklace off, shouting something- probably in French, I wouldn't know- as they opened fire. But the bullets didn't hit him- they all bounced off some invisible barrier only a few feet in front of him.

"WILL!" he shouted. "DONNEZ-MOI MON SACHET!"

"What?"

He paused, and then remembered my comprehension of french language.

"GET MY BAG!"

It seemed an unusual request, but given the number of high-power assault rifles being fired in our immediate vicinity, I didn't question it. I turned to his desk, grabbing his bag. I started to get up, but stopped when I saw them.

The men had stopped shooting, and the one closest to him had thrown down his gun. He advanced slowly- his face completely expressionless- as he pulled out a stick. Suddenly he leaped forward, slashing as his stick transformed into a long, glowing purple blade- it hit the barrier in front of the Monsieur, shattering it. He quickly stepped forward, swinging again, and my French teacher frantically stepped back- into a wall. The blade narrowly missed him, but he started to swing again.

My French teacher threw his hand out- not at his attacker, but at me. He yelled something, probably in French, and there was a sudden flash as his bag exploded with blinding light. Everything went purple- and suddenly there was silence. And as my vision returned seconds later, I found that I was alone, in a room I'd never seen before.

chapter 1: https://hypixel.net/threads/story-demons-ch-1.615859/

chapter 2: this thread dude

chapter 3: https://hypixel.net/threads/»-story-demons-ch-3.682724/

------------

Extremely alarmed, I put down the bag and got up. I looked around- was this someone's living room? The room was empty, except for a dust-covered wooden table at the end of the room accompanied by a few plain chairs. The only other identifiable part of the room was the door next to me. What happened? Where was I? I began to panic.

"Hello?" I asked, almost yelling.

But nobody answered- instead, the bag just... glowed red. I crouched and opened it. The bag was filled with various items, of course, but many of them didn't make any sense. But before I could investigate, I saw the necklace. The necklace consisted of a silver chain attached to a ruby framed in gold, which let out a red glow- one that intensified when I reached for it. I picked it up, and suddenly the light flashed as a miniature man appeared on my hand, slightly transparent and as red as the ruby itself.

"What's going on?" he demanded.

I've never been fond of horror games, and certainly not jump-scares; this was no exception. I flinched, dropping the necklace, and fell backwards awkwardly as the man disappeared. I frantically scrambled up and backed away.

I stared at the bag for a few seconds, and then the red light returned. What? I considered leaving it there- I was thoroughly spooked- but I was curious. I slowly approached and picked it up again. The man appeared again, clearly miffed.

"Rude." he said. "Who are you?"

I was speechless for a few seconds, but then I recovered.

"I'm, uh, Will?" I responded, hesitantly.

"Who? Where's John? I heard gunshots."

"John? Wait, do you mean Monsieur Mer-?"

He interrupted me with an impatient wave of his hand. "Yes, him. What happened to him?"

"I don't know. There were some guys who showed up out of nowhere with guns, and suddenly I was here."

The red man paused for a second, and then continued asking questions, pacing on my hand.

"What did they look like?"

"Well, they were, uh, in suits. There were three of them, and they had huge guns. They came out of nowhere and just started shooting at him."

"What happened to John?"

"You mean-"

He cut me off instantly. "Yes, him, what happened to him?"

"I don't know. He yelled something and suddenly I was here with his bag."

He paused, deep in thought. Then he turned to face me.

"So you're my new carrier, huh?"

"What?"

"John's dead, and you're the one he gave me to. So you're the new carrier."

"What?" I repeated. "Monsieur Mer- I mean, John- he's dead?"

He looked at me like it was the most casual event in the world. "Well, all of his weapons are in that bag. Wizards can't do anything without tools. And shooting at someone demonstrates a distinct lack of concern for their well-being, so yeah, he's probably dead."

"Wait- wizard?"

He looked at me, again, like this was everyday stuff. "Well, yeah. His alias was Merlin, it wasn't exactly a secret."

"But... that means wizards are real."

He glanced at me, and then suddenly realized the magnitude of my ignorance. "Oh no," he said, stunned. "He's left me with an idiot."

I still had no idea what was going on. "But... wizards? That means magic is real. And other things. Like zombies, and vampires. What's going on?"

He let out an exasperated sigh. "No, no, zombies aren't real. Well, I mean, they are, but they're pretty rare, don't worry about it. And vampires went extinct ages ago." He looked around, absorbing the empty room. "Which safe house are we at?"

"What?" I asked- it was quickly becoming my new catch phrase.

"John sent us to a safe house. Go get the map." He gestured at the bag. I looked through it, noting what appeared to be several small, purple-tinted glass frisbees and a stick, and then I saw it. I drew it out and unraveled it. It didn't look like a map at all. But the red man walked across my hand and touched it, and suddenly the paper changed, a map of the United States appearing. A red dot appeared in the lower right.

"Ah," he began. "We're in the Florida one."

"What?!" I exclaimed. "I live in Nevada!"

"That's too bad. You're my carrier now, it's up to you to keep me safe."

"Carrier? What?"

He sighed, as if this was common knowledge that I should have known all along. "Alright, listen here. My name is Matchitehew, Destroyer of-"

"Matchiwhat?"

He sighed again. "Just call me Mat. Anyways, John's dead, so you're my new carrier. There's people that want to destroy me, and it's up to you to make sure that doesn't happen."

"But... why do they want to destroy you?"

"It's a long story. But I'm one of the few things remaining that stands between them and their goal, and they cannot be allowed to succeed."

"Why?"

"Well," he said, dramatically pausing. "The world won't be around much longer after they do."

chapter 1: https://hypixel.net/threads/story-demons-ch-1.615859/

chapter 2: https://hypixel.net/threads/story-demons-ch-2.621875/

chapter 3: spoiler alert, it's this thread

------------

"This is ridiculous." I said, holding up my arms to examine my new wizard robes. Mat appeared in front of me, floating at head level, transparent and half a foot tall. He quickly absorbed my appearance, and grimaced.

"It really is. Wizard fashion was always appalling. But you'll need the disguise if you want to get far past that door. Nobody can know you're a... normal. They'll tear you apart."

"Surely they're not that bad."

"Some of them are. Just go with it. Don't let anyone know I'm here, and if you encounter trouble- well, that's what the hand gun is for."

I looked down into the bag, where the black pistol lay ominously at the top of an unorganized pile of random loot. Spying a smooth, stick at the bottom, I asked:

"Is this a wand? How does it work?"

"It is, and it doesn't. Not unless you're a wizard."

"Well why not?"

He sighed.

"Well, their souls are different."

"Souls?"

"Everyone has a soul. I have a soul. You have a soul. Hell, raccoons have souls. Some have bigger ones, some have smaller. But they're all different types. They keep us conscious, they let us feel emotion, and depending on the type, they give us powers. Wizards' souls are used to power their equipment."

"So I can't use any of this?" I said, nodding towards the bag.

"Not a lot of it. Some parts have their own energy sources though."

"So why the hell am I bringing all of it?"

"The robe doesn't make the wizard, the bag full of unpredictable magic does. Nobody's going to leave you alone if they think you don't have several weapons of mass destruction in there."

I turned to look at him.

"Weapons of mass destruction?"

He shrugged.

"Well, one." he said, almost sounding embarrassed.

"What do you mean one?!"

"They're hard to come by, ok? I'm not the one with a physical body. Not my fault John only gathered one. I told him to go snatch a nuke during the collapse of the Soviet Union, but noooo, apparently 1 ton of TNT is enough." He rolled his eyes. "How are we supposed to be feared if we only have one ton of TNT?"

I looked back in the bag. I didn't see any explosives.

"But there's no TNT in here."

"Well, obviously we've hidden it. I think it's the band-aid."

I rooted around in the bag, and finally saw it. I pulled out the band-aid and admired the purple Dora the Explorer logo on it. "You mean this?"

"That's the one! Useful if we ever need to destroy a city block."

"Why would we need to-"

He cut me off. "It's good to be prepared for anything." There was an awkward pause, and he turned towards the door. "Time to go. You've got the hand-gun ready, right?"

I double checked- it was still at the top of the bag. "Isn't it a little suspicious that a wizard is using a gun?"

"Nonsense. Plus, it's a magic gun. Well I mean, it shoots magic. It's complicated. Anyhow, everyone uses guns."

"Don't they have magic?"

"We don't really refer to it as magic, but yes, they have powers. And they do use them to fight. But if there's anything you humans are good at, it's designing weapons..." He drifted off, lost in thought. Probably dreaming of more weapons of mass destruction. At any rate, I'd had enough.

"How will I get home?"

"Home? You're my carrier. You don't have a home."

"What if I don't want to be your carrier?"

"Hey, I didn't ask for this either. But life isn't perfect, and there's no one out there we can trust."

"What if I find someone trustworthy?"

He snorted. "Nobody's trustworthy."

"But you trust me."

"No, not really. I just don't really have a choice." He scowled, and fell silent. Then he started again.

"Look, they'll find us if we don't keep moving. They always do. That was John's mistake, he stayed in the same place. If you want to survive, you're going to have to learn how to run."

I turned towards the door. "But what about my life? I can't leave that behind."

He rolled his eyes. "You hated your life. Why would you go back?"

I froze. "What?"

"You did."

"How would you know?"

"I can see it in your aura."

He paused, and then continued. "Oh. You didn't know what that is either. It's, uh, basically the visible effect your soul has around you. Almost no one can see it- only the soulcasters and demons, really."

He squinted at me. "Nope, you're still confused. But we need to go."

Feeling slightly overwhelmed, I turned towards the door. I opened it, and stepped outside, ready to encounter a magical world I'd never seen before.

[if-the-crown-fits-translate-it]

Discord pt 78

[Date: 15/03, 6:11 AM GMT - 15/03, 7:13 AM GMT]

Marcus: “...

it's been an interesting few days, I suppose

i've been catching up and um

not entirely sure how I feel about all this

everyone's asleep

guess that makes sense”

dreaming: “im awake.. uh sorry if im interrupting or anything..”

Marcus: “not at all!”

dreaming: “okay!”

Marcus: “it's nice to have company late at night

at least..conscious company”

dreaming: “yeah...”

emuhlee: “are you doing alright, marcus? a lot went on, and i'm sure it's a lot to take in”

Marcus: “...

i don't like that she's taking notes on max

i don't like that she's been taken at all, really”

dreaming: “i agree..”

Marcus: “...the laurels

i...can't help but feel that it's my fault

if i'd never taken off my circlet... he wouldn't feel the need to make something more permanent”

dreaming: “it isn't your fault.. you weren't even at the trial...

and it was crown's decision. nobody elses”

emuhlee: “whatever he decides on his own is not your fault”

Marcus: “...”

dreaming: “look we can't change the past.. we got to focus on the future, like.. getting out those who still only have a circlet..”

Marcus: “....

i guess you're right

but

what about Syd?”

dreaming: “we’ll try our hardest

i hope there's a way..

there's got to be something that'll at least make it stop for a bit...

i just hope so..”

Marcus: “I'm worried for them... all of them”

dreaming: “me too..”

Marcus: “I... feel bad about what I did to him too

he didn't deserve to be pushed in the river”

dreaming: “he didn't but there wasn't really.. another option”

Marcus: “i could've just

ran away

...

right?”

dreaming: “we know he could've catched up”

emuhlee: “without that he probably wouldve caught up to you”

Marcus: “...he still didn't deserve it”

dreaming: “you did what you had to as much as crown mightve not deserved it”

emuhlee: “maybe not, but you did what you had to to be safe”

Marcus: “I don't know”

emuhlee: “I understand why you feel bad about it, but if you didn't he could've caught up to you and max.

it might suck to think about but you did what was best at the time given the circumstances.”

Marcus: “..Max was further ahead of me, he would have been fine”

dreaming: “you wouldn't have been.. and we all want you safe.

we all want you to be okay”

Marcus: “i don't... i don't know max

i don't know fetch

or mona

I knew Page and Knight

they’re

they're so different

...but i still care about them

why else would i be staying up all night?

i can't sleep when they sleep”

dreaming: “maybe you don't exactly know them but you're still allowed to care.. i don't really know anyone well here but i still care.

i hope that's.. understandable?”

Marcus: “it.. is

i just don't get why i'm so upset at the difference”

dreaming: “it's okay to be upset, it's okay to miss them.”

Marcus: “i look at them and I see page and knight

because that's how i knew them

but that's not who they are

they aren't happy that way”

dreaming: “i can understand that.. i saw page and knight as max and fetch.. as much as you're valid in your feelings they're still going to be well them. even if they're not the people you knew..”

Marcus: “it makes me wonder...

if he changes how we think so that we're happier

what do fetch and max dislike about themselves so much

that they act like children when they're knight and page”

dreaming: “i don't know..”

emuhlee: “that's... a good question.”

dreaming: “bad things happen.. they change our perceptions of ourselves and not always im a good way...”

Marcus: “....i know that i'm not happy now

not as happy as I was

maybe content is the better word

but

.....i don't like dealing with all of these negative emotions

it's been so long since i've had to”

dreaming: “i know it sucks to deal with that.. but we all go through hardships, feel negative emotions.. if we never felt negatively we'd just be stuck in one place...”

Marcus: “...

negativity is so draining”

dreaming: “it is..”

emuhlee: “yeah,, it is”

dreaming: “but if we were always happy, content with what we have would we ever have the drive to learn more? to see more? i don't even really understand what im saying.. heh”

Maxwell: “....no....syd.....leave her alone.....”

Marcus: “...

negativity” 

dreaming: “max..?”

Marcus: “is so draining”

dreaming: “I know”

Marcus: “...he's talking in his sleep again”

dreaming: “...

negativity is draining i know.. but it'll be alright someday. it will, at least i hope so.”

Marcus: “nightmares...

page never had nightmares 

but now

max has them almost every night”

dreaming: “max's been through a lot.. page got his memory wiped of anything that would cause them i would think..”

Marcus: “..that was kind of the point in the memory wiping”

dreaming: “yeah..

i wonder why.. page or knight couldn't remember anything but you could...”

Marcus: “.......don't tell them

I'm...

the longer i spend away from it all

the less I remember

i.. barely remember what my comfort room looked like”

dreaming: “..i won't tell anyone... honestly it makes sense you might start forgetting, it was you but it also.. wasn't? to an extent”

Marcus: “..i knew more than they did while we were there

i don't know why

i don't remember”

dreaming: “maybe it's because you had more good experiences before joining the court..”

Marcus: “......

...

..i wouldn't say that”

dreaming: “okay i won't again.”

Marcus: “no no

i wasn't.. telling you

I just”

dreaming: “okay.”

Marcus: “wouldn't describe my past as....pleasant”

dreaming: “okay.. maybe the reason why they didn't remember is because of how much they opposed the court?

y’know”

Marcus: “maybe

they weren't there for that long... were they?”

Marcus: “as far as i knew, max was only there for... a little over two weeks”

dreaming: “nope.. i remember both of them already disliked the court a lot though.. if that's what you meant..”

Marcus: “but

apparently max was gone for much longer than two weeks”

dreaming: “yep..

right when crown took chat he appeared for like.. two minutes?

I think”

Marcus: “...that was deliberate

i think”

dreaming: “probably..”

Marcus: “given the..deal Chat made

i can't”

dreaming: “yeah..”

Marcus: “i can't remember the details

i dont think max was back by accident though”

dreaming: “that's alright..

and yeah max probably wasn't looking back on it..”

Marcus: “...

it’s so

difficult

i didn't have problems sleeping before”

dreaming: “i would assume so..”

Marcus: “but i can't sleep at night

i worry about them too much”

dreaming: “it's okay to worry.. you should try to sleep though...”

Marcus: “i don't want to be..useless

if i”

dreaming: “you aren't useless for resting”

Marcus: “if i'm asleep, i can't help them”

dreaming: “you won't be able to help them if you're too exhausted from not resting to help.”

Marcus: “....

i can rest when someone else wakes up

that's”

dreaming: “okay.”

Marcus: “what i've been doing

although

i did burn my elbow earlier because of how little i've slept”

dreaming: “you should probably sleep more then, if you can't sleep when others are maybe talk to them about it and work out something so you can rest properly.”

Marcus: “i'd rather not inconvenience them...”

dreaming: “it isn't inconveniencing to ask for help”

Marcus: “.....”

dreaming: “look, if i was theoretically there i'd help.

but y'know. im not”

Marcus: “..I know

i just..don't want to worry anymore”

dreaming: “it's probably going to end up worrying them anyways if you keep doing this.”

Marcus: “...they seem fine with my day time naps

even if they only last an hour”

dreaming: “that's good.. im glad you're sleeping even if it's not as much as you should”

Marcus: “...waking up again is the hard part.

i'm either suddenly awake due to a nightmare

or i'm suddenly awake due to anxiety”

dreaming: “..i'm sorry”

Marcus: “.....”

dreaming: “that that's happening..”

Marcus: “you don't

you dont have anything to be sorry for?

i dont understand”

dreaming: “yeah i know.. i just have a habit...”

i'll try not to do it as much..”

Marcus: “...many of you have a habit of apologizing for things you didn't do

you don't have to change how you act

i guess i'm a bit of a hypocrite” 

dreaming: “yeah.. im kind of one too. im telling you to sleep while i'm definitely staying up to late just to get some time to myself i guess..”

Marcus: “the quiet is nice”

dreaming: “it is”

Marcus: “...max is having another nightmare, i'm going to go try and calm him down

i hope you have a good rest of your night

maybe..try to sleep if you can”

dreaming: “okay.. you too marcus.. and ill try...”

Marcus: “hmm i'd like to send a smile but i'd rather not concern anyone with the connotations....

oh, i'll do what fetch does

:]”

dreaming: “:]”

[reylofanfictionanthology]

For one is love and both are one in love is now live!  

Authors will be revealed next week!  For now all fics are anonymous.  Treats can be posted through author reveals on 2/21.  We will post an updated masterpost at that time.

For one is love and both are one in love collection on AO3 |  Gift Fic Master Post Part Two | Treats Masterpost

Gifts Fic Master Post Part One:

ghosts on the shore for aaronBursar

“I meant what I said to you that day on the Death Star. I thought I could never go back. I still think it even now—that I don’t belong here, that I never will.” “But you did come back,” she said, squeezing his hand. “You’re here now. With me. You chose it. Despite everything, we made it, both of us.” They sat in silence for awhile, hands clasped while they watched the camp clear as people finally turned in for the night. Then, suddenly, Ben was struck with an idea. “What if we took a trip?”

Sugar High for abbytheatre08

When Maz Kanata hosts five weeks of a Battle of the Bands competition, Rey Johnson and Kylo Ren find themselves both pitted against one another, and drawn together as the weeks go on.

Delayed For A While for aionimica

Death cannot stop love. All it can do is delay it awhile.

I am ready to follow you even though I don't know where for AlwaysEverlark

Her closest friends want Rey to move on from what happened on Exegol, but she refuses to accept that Ben Solo, her soulmate in the Force, is dead. Instead, she undertakes a rescue mission to bring Ben home--no matter the risk.

A More Perfect Union for america_oreosandkitkats

Rey, new to DC, tags along to a stuffy networking event with her friend -- they're both poor and, hell, there's free booze. Ben, a recruiter for the lobbyist firm he works for, finds the intern with the soft voice and angry eyes a fun challenge -- especially when he finds out she works for his estranged mother Senator Leia Organa.

In the Den of the Darkwolf for Amy326

Rey awakened in the darkwolf’s den.

happy cockus day for andabatae

She prefers the nip of New Hampshire winters, heavy winds blowing in her hair, being bundled up in three layers with pens whose ink freeze fast and thaw slow. She loves warm buildings, and Christmas breaks, and slurping down huge bowls of ramen in the evenings, but being on the ground, a clipboard in her hand, boots on a voter’s doorstep? That’s where she knows she belongs. So there are a lot of things going against Rey Johnson’s introduction to Ben Solo, his moody personality probably the least of her worries, since he’s the reason she’s not outside, making some sort of tangible effort to get his mother elected as president.

Hope Lives for aNerdObsessed

This AU story takes place right after the Battle of Exegol, Rey and Ben have just defeated Palpatine and they are both seriously injured but not mortally wounded. When all hope is lost for them as there is no one coming to get them, old friends of the past come to their aid.

Two Bits (or The Haircut) for Ann3onymous

Three days into their marriage of convenience, Ben and Rey are maybe starting to realize that there’s more to this arrangement than a green card or a cooperative board of directors.

We've Got a Good Thing Here for Anysia

Rey & Ben Solo navigate their feelings in the aftermath of the end of the war. With Ben a "functionally dead" force ghost, Rey has to come to terms with how she will balance restoring liberty to the galaxy and making her relationship with Ben work in a... physical sense. It's a difficult enough task to begin with, and it doesn't help that every time they're alone someone seems to require Rey for something.

Event Horizon for Apisa_B

Rey runs into Kylo Ren on a mission for the Resistance, and they have to work together against their wishes. This would be simple... if working together didn't involve pretending to be married, sharing a hotel room, and a lot of unresolved feelings.

still caught in yesterday's wake for Apricot

Her heart is heavy with fear—fear that one day she will no longer be able to recall the shape of Ben’s face, or the timbre of his voice, or the exact color of his eyes; that her memory of him will fade until she is left with nothing but the pain of his absence, like some phantom limb that aches and aches and aches, relentlessly.

A Dark Day Dream for ArdeaJestin

Ben's come home, but Rey can't face him. Not because of anything he's done, at least not in real life. But in her fantasies? oh yes.

Become Who You Were Meant to Be for Aurae

Kylo is a fighter both by training and by preference. Tactics, not strategy. Action, not discussion. Every instinct in him wants to solve his problems by grabbing his sword and shedding some blood. But those easy days are behind him now. He has a galaxy to run. It would be easier if only he could stop thinking about her.

The Spaces Inbetween for Ayrith (freijya)

It wasn’t the first time. Not the first since Crait and she saw him kneeling and their eyes met with anger and ache and want and everything else they didn’t have to say. No. Not the first, nor the second, nor even the third. This was a well trodden path that they all walked over and over. As if the Force was taking their hands and despite both of them tearing it away, still trying to bring them together. --- Rey and Kylo have been dealing with the Force bond for some time, but it finally reaches a tipping point.

The Least Of What I Could Do for benperor-ren (winterelf86)

"I refuse to play opposite someone who has never had a part in their entire life," sneers Ben. "Either Rey goes or I do."

Niima's for bensolosredemption

Though Niima's is a questionable establishment, it's always been Ben's favorite bar. It's not just because he's inexplicably attracted to the new bartender, either - though he has to admit she might have something to do with it.

Devil Spawn for Biekewieke

After a hot anonymous encounter at The Annual Organa Halloween Ball, Rey realizes she slept with the horrible guy who is her new boss. But he doesn't recognize her! And he asks her to track down his mystery hookup, which she totally agrees to do (wink wink, haha, she's lying). But then she finds out she's pregnant! GASP! What's a scared, pregnant single girl to do? (Other than take a nap because she's exhausted.)

Belonging for bitterbones

Friends-with-benefits except whoops I'm in love with you now and hate seeing you flirt with other people because we're technically not together.

Paradise for bittersnake

For two people whose souls are inseparably united, the question of sex shouldn't be that complicated. Given Ben and Rey's individual histories, however, it really comes as no surprise. But that's all right. They’ll have their whole lives together to figure it out, if Rey and Ben and possibly several hundred generations’ worth of Jedi ghosts have anything to say about the matter. Which they do.

Miss Johnson & the Professor for blackheretic (redlondons)

Her heart wants to erupt through her throat, and she audibly gulps, trying to keep her gaze from the only place it wants to go. Thank fuck his eyes are so hypnotic; she can get lost in them as she stammers for English syllables. “Y-Yes, Dr. Solo?” “Seriously, Rey.” Is he blushing? Surely not. “I’ve known you all year, call me Ben.” “Ben,” she mumbles. It tastes like delicious sacrilege. “I actually think you’re in my bed.” “Huh?” “The couch. I was going to sleep there. Remember?” Rey clutches the blanket to her collarbone, hoping the light fabric is tented loosely enough to cover her breasts. Fuck, why does he have to be so distractingly hot? “No, it’s all right. I don’t mind, Professor.” “Ben," he insists firmly. “And I won’t be able to sleep at all knowing I’m comfy in a bed while you’re sleeping on that thing.”

Owner Malfunction. for Bombastique

One year after surviving Execgol, Rey and Ben Solo find themselves in each other's company after they are both captured while trying to take back the Falcon from Kanjiklub remnants. (AKA - The Force, the Falcon, love, and droids.)

Stealing the Light for bratanimus

Redemption isn’t given. It’s earned. Or: As the galaxy rebuilds from war, the man formerly known as Kylo Ren tries to make peace with the person he was, and the person he’s becoming.

Rey Niima and the American (Hot Piece of) Ass that She Just Wants to Tap, while also Not Dying in the Triwizard Tournament or Becoming Otherwise Inconvenienced or Maimed for Cairdiuil_Paiste

Completed for the prompt: Hogwarts AU! Triwizard tournament time with seventh year Rey representing Hogwarts. She wants to impress the MACUSA representative to strengthen her chances of joining their graduate programme. Too bad American diplomat Ben Solo doesn't seem to like her…

a forest of stars for caisha

Rey works hard at the diner to save up for her long dreamed-of vacation to Finland. She's lonely, but that's not new. What is new is Kylo Ren, the CEO of Orpheus Corp and new boss of her best friend Finn. When Finn and Kylo Ren stop by the diner for lunch, Rey feels as though she's finally met someone who understands her. But who is Kylo Ren, and what's his secret? A Modern Fae AU

I am a Soul Longing for Ceallaigh

Rey has spent the last two years searching the galaxy for clues about how to bring Ben back. Now, finally, it seems she has a solid lead. The planet Xolutel is said to be a vergence in the Force, and myth has it there's a hidden temple where worshipers of the Force were granted their deepest desires. No matter how slim the possibility, Rey owes it to Ben and herself to check it out. She's not known to give up easily.

The World Has Been Sad Since Tuesday for ceciliasheplin

The creature on his bed defied explanation, but Kylo Ren had a distinct feeling that there was nothing to worry about, nothing to fear. At least, not in this room. Demons lay in wait outside, but not here. Best not to let anyone know about this.

Be With Me for Chthonia

A force connection between Kylo (Ben), and Rey. It takes place while she is on Ach-To, and he is on the Death Star.

between the shadow and the soul for ClockworkCrow (icemink)

“You and Skywalker have been keeping it a secret,” she said, her eyes searching his face to catch him when he lies. “But I know the truth. I learned it, the day after we fought on Mustafar. That Lord Vader was his father, and your grandfather.” He struggled against her stasis but she pushed back harder, her power swirling around them both. “Rey—” “Don’t you see, Ben?” There was a ghost of a smile on her lips. “The darkness is inside of you, too. You don’t have to keep fighting it. You were meant to be mine.” Mine. . or: Jedi Knight Ben Solo should really stop doing smuggling runs with his father. Kira Ren should really stop trying to turn him to the dark side.

The Rescue for cohava

“What is it?” Ben asked, watching the worry lines form on Rey’s forehead as she checked the message that had just pinged through her datapad. “Poe’s leading the relief efforts on Faratula. There’s a boy there, Force sensitive. Orphaned. Poe says it’s a pretty bad situation.” “Let’s go get him, then,” he said without pausing.

how easy you are to need for Crimson_Alchemistress

The war is finished, yet Rey still carries wounds. They come in the form of nightmares, but Ben is there to comfort her.

stuck on how it feels here next to you for crossingwinter

Around four months ago, Ben and Rey married out of convenience. It had started that way and one of the key reasons why they had agreed to this in the first place was the condition that neither had romantic feelings for the other. This is their life, both head of heels for the other while not really knowing what to do about it.

Blue Sand for Crysania

The pale crimson sun rises above the horizon across the fields. A slight wind gently brushed Rey’s face. She left the ship and coverded herself with a blue scarf from a desert heat. She stepped forward, carefully observing the small city before her. Hot sand was burning her feets despite thick soles of boots. “This is going to be disaster,” she told herself with a crooked smile.

covert mission: baby acquisition for crystanagahori

In which Rey decides she's ready to start a family of her own and Ben Solo, her boss and dear friend, would make the perfect sperm donor. * It was a stupid, girlish crush. One that likely wasn’t reciprocated, and could land her in a world of trouble with HR if she acted brashly. But still, she wanted him. He could waive his parental rights for all she cared. They could enter into some sort of contract, if such things existed. But he was the perfect candidate, the ideal sperm donor. Ben Solo.

hands that hurt, hands that heal for cuddlesome

Rey climbs on top of Ben and makes out with his sopping self after Force healing his stab wound.

It was not Death, for I stood Up for CwenPhy

Emperor Palpatine lied on Exegol; Rey is not his granddaughter. Rey sets off on a journey, led by Obi-Wan Kenobi, to bring Ben Solo back from the World Between Worlds.

Good Boy for dankobah

Rey takes her dog to a nearby veterinary clinic for an emergency and doesn't expect to meet Ben (or anyone) while there.

The Unbreakable Bond for DarkSideOfMe

After Crait, Rey thought she had severed their Force Bond, or at least closed it, but some weeks ago she started feeling it, a presence in the back of her mind. Then she could hear him saying her name or other random words or feelings: concern, anxiety, loneliness, longing..to be fair, she didn’t know who those feelings belonged to, if there were Kylo’s or hers. And that was the other reason to put an end to this; she wasn’t ready to deal with anything different to her anger and disappointment. She had to focus on her training, on the Resistance, in their fight against “his” First Order. She was scared, scared of something she couldn’t put a name to, and last night had just showed her how important it was to break their connection. It was time to read the Jedi texts she’s been putting off for too long.

NiimaRide for datswatutink

Journey urge her not to stop believin' but provide no further clarification before she's strapped in the back seat and they're pulling away from the only real break she's had in twenty-four years.

To Hold and Give Light for dearly

After Exegol, Rey takes an injured Ben back to the Resistance.

a conundrum of lightsabers for devon380black (kryptonian17)

In the aftermath of Crait, Rey is left with two halves of a broken lightsaber she has no idea how to fix. As her force bond conversations with Ben continue, she comes to understand he's the only one who can help her with her problem. Maybe if they can repair one thing, they can repair something else too.

What Happens in Hotel Chandrila for DrPearlGatsby

Accompanying her best friends to a Galaxy Wars convention in Chandrila sounded like a good idea at first. But third-wheeling sucks, and that's how Rey finds herself daydrinking alone at the hotel bar. And then she gets a free drink from a tall, brooding, handsome stranger…

Until the Wild Feelings Leave You for dustoftheancients

Rehabilitating from a battle injury leaves Rey an irritable mess. The way Ben hovers over her does nothing to help.

Kintsugi for ElegyGoldsmith

In the darkest moments, the galaxy is still filled with light.

give me shapes and letters, if it’s not forever for ElleRen31

She holds out her hand, “I don’t think we’ve met, I’m Rey.  I work at the flower shop next door.” He must be new, or she’s just a shut-in during work because she would’ve remembered seeing him after a year of being here. “I’m Kylo, I own the tattoo shop.”  He points to his building and her eyebrows raise as he shakes her hand.  Owner? So he’s the head honcho? She hums to herself and then keeps the smile plastered on her face. Then she sets her sights on the dogs, “What are their names?”

Where the ocean goes for Elywyngirlie

Sometimes getting out alive is the victory. Sometimes the rest takes a little time.

it shall not be death for englishable

Rey of the Jedi Knights is sent with her sword and Holy Fire, to destroy a palace of thorns. It doesn't quite go as planned.

The Reckoning for Erin410

Because of Rey, Ben has grown rather good at waiting. But she’s waiting, too, for something that hasn’t dawned on him yet. [Post-TROS mildly angsty marriage proposal fluff, hope you enjoy!]

Trading Places for Fairleigh

Kylo… Kylo awoke to the sound of her whimpering his name. He sat bolt upright in Rey’s extremely uncomfortable cot. Anxious for her safety, he reached out for her with his mind. Rey? He heard her moan and heat instantly pooled between his legs. Curious. The sensation was different but not unwelcome. Then he saw Rey, or rather he saw himself, naked and writhing on his bed. His mouth fell open. Rey was... masturbating. He watched in awe as she pumped his shaft up and down, slowly but forcefully. Kylo… She called his name again.

You'll Turn for FangirlintheForest

A retelling of the Last Jedi's elevator and throne room scenes with a role reversal twist. Can Smuggler Ben turn Dark Rey?

Building Something Together for fantastic_fanatics

When Ben confronts his new upstairs neighbor who keeps making all manner of odd noises at all manner of hours, he didn't expect what she's doing up there. He also didn't expect her to be so pretty.

Little Starfighter for Fic_me_senseless

Convinced he ruins everything he touches, isolated and lonely Ben Solo successfully pushes everyone away, except for the girl who sees something in him she recognizes.

Benvenuto nella nostra famiglia for gennalannisters

"Well, I have sensitive information here. Dinner is just actually a ploy. It’s actually an interrogation to make sure you didn't read the documents." She turned and smirked at him as they headed down the stairs, "If that's the case, I'm happy to be interrogated through wining and dining.” Love is in the air at Harvard Square.

Binary Suns for gigi_marlee

Young Ben Solo meets a young Rey. The two form an intense and instant attachment to the confusion of Ben's parents and his Uncle, Jedi Master Luke Skywalker. What is a dyad and what will it mean for two children who have found belonging in each other?

more everything for HalfwayThrough

"I'm the boss, I've earned the right to show up whenever the fuck I want." He was arrogant, condescending, and an asshole. And he didn't have a mark on his wrist.

One Stick of Unsalted Butter for HopeRebel

Rey's neighbor is the rudest, least considerate person she had to interact with. However, when she runs out of butter in the middle of night trying to bake cookies for Rose's birthday, there is only person she knows is awake and he is her only hope. Of course, things don't go according to plan.

come home, ben for hxllosweetie33

He looked at their hands, watched as Rey intertwined their fingers together, and fought the back the shutter from the contact. “ Rey…” He whispered. She brought her hand to his face – calloused tips brushing against his scar – observing his face, every detail of it, the bags and dark circles under his eyes, the paleness of his skin, his dry lips, the lack of light behind his eyes.

Ashes of Life for iamladyloki

Dark Rey becomes a reality and Ben has to remind her who she is

Negotiated Settlement for ilum

General Leia Organa has brought a small team with her to Kaytuu 5, expecting to negotiate a ceasefire between the First Order-controlled planetary government and local Resistance fighters. Unfortunately, Supreme Leader Armitage Hux has other plans. Rey will need the assistance of a Certain Someone who no longer calls himself Kylo Ren if she and her friends are to save the day.

Coming Home for incognitajones

After the Battle of Exegol, Rey and an injured Ben are trapped together on an uninhabited planet.

The Stray for itsinthestars

Rey moves in across the hall from Ben; a former foster kid alone in the city, aspiring to be an actress. Ben is a ladder-climbing white collar businessman with a horrible boss and zero social life. Which is just the way he likes it. So why in the world has this insufferable creature made it her life's work to adopt him? From sharing her dinner to doing his laundry, she seems determined to make a connection. In the end, it's easier for Ben to just let her. But opening up means letting your heart be vulnerable.

Peace and Purpose for itsnotillegal

Across the stars, Rey and Ben yearn for each other, neither able to move on, both facing the unending nights alone. But the Force longs for balance as surely as they long for each other.

Christmas Blues for karlamartinova

The first snow had fallen, covering the ground like a white blanket. The emergence of winter weather always marked the increase of Christmas moods. The season when people fervently decorated their houses and you couldn’t walk through the mall or downtown area without hearing a Christmas jingle. The neighborhood already sparkled with multicolored lights and inflated or authentic snow-made snowmen. Rey Johnson’s festive mood rose with each house she drove by, her fingers tapping on the wheel as “Rocking Around the Christmas Tree”faded and transitioned into another song.

prince and the sea for kuresoto

Prince Ben Chewbacca Solo Organa, descendant of the house of Naberrie and the line of Skywalker, heir to the Starbird pirate fleet, has followed in the family tradition of slaying monsters and ruling the high seas. Which in no way is an attempt at ignoring his soulmate bond.

what stranger miracles for La_Catrina

Ben can’t even manage to die right, apparently. 

the universe resting in my arms for Lightningpelt

Rey sees Ben, quietly tooling around the Skywalker homestead, his hands wet with mechanic's grease, and the image is so perfect that she holds her breath, not wanting to mar it with a loud breath.

counting my steps, reaching out to you for Lizardbeth

All her life, Rey has felt snatches of someone else's emotions, seen visions of other places, other people she's certain she's never seen before. In a world where everything had been taken away from her, this connection was hers alone. She is wholly unprepared for the day she finds out that the person at the other end of the connection is a Jedi fighting as part of the Resistance against her delusional Master.

Soulmates for LostInQueue

After Ben Solo disappears in front of her eyes, she finds a way to bring him back, where love began…

Heal for LRRH17

A few weeks after the Battle of Crait, the Force connects Rey and Ben again on several occasions.

Softly, Softly  for lucymonster

When the Resistance start to pick up distress calls from defecting Stormtroopers, they move to save as many as they can. It doesn't occur to them that the First Order might be after the same renegades until they're right on top of them.

First Impressions and Unexpected Connections for LueurdeLaube

War has ravaged the galaxy, but finally, there is a chance at peace. Her grandfather arranges for Princess Rey Palpatine to wed the Supreme Leader Kylo Ren, broadcast across the galaxy to usher in the new era. They've never met before, but he's sent her letters.

All These Things That I've Done for MahoganyDoodles

Someone dropped down to Rey's level and reached for the empty plastic shell of her case. She stilled for a moment, afraid that she was about to get smacked with it, afraid to look up. “Sorry about him,” she heard over the sound of her heart beating through her ears. Not Hux? This voice was deeper. Rey looked up and saw Ben Solo in front of her, holding out the case for her, a sympathetic look in his dark brown eyes.

For Now for maq_moon

There are plenty of things he could say, but he doesn’t. Buying you muffins makes me excited to get out of bed in the morning. I wish I could go back in time and be the kind of person you could like. I don’t remember my life before you. ---------- When Kylo finds his soulmate, she doesn't know, and he doesn't tell her.

[authorialarcanist]

Gracidea Blossom Chapter 8: The Wind and the Rain

(Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, & Platinum x Little Busters!)

Mirror Links: AO3, Pokécommunity, Spacebattles

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Previous - Next

Spoiler Warning: Starting this chapter, Gracidea Blossom will contain spoilers for Komari’s Route of Little Busters! Since this is the first such spoiler point, I’ll reiterate my general policy: I’ll be using primarily backstory spoilers and trying to leave elements of the route that people can still enjoy even if they read this story first, and marking with an author’s note like this one before any chapter that firstintroduces spoilers from that route, while considering backstory information introduced in that route fair game for the rest of the story afterwards.

---

The day after Rin started her training, Riki finds himself aimlessly wandering the streets of Jubilife. With Masato and Kengo occupied with preparing Rin for her Gym Challenge, and Kyousuke busy at Jubilife TV, Riki’s been left largely to his own devices whenever he’s not being dragged into the training himself.

The gray sky seems to press down on him as he walks. Ever since this journey started, something’s felt subtly off. Masato and Kengo always pushing their training. Kyousuke’s vague questions. As much as Riki wants to treat everything as just more of the silly games the Little Busters play together, he can’t shake the feeling that something is moving. Dragging Masato, Kengo, and Rin into these strange impetuses, and threatening to leave him behind.

Perhaps that’s why his feet take him back to the park where he and Rin had battled the previous day. Sitting with his Pokémon amidst the faded grass, he can at least feel a little less alone.

After letting Terra and Sly out of their Pokéballs, Riki leans forward to spritz his Turtwig down with a spray bottle. The soil on its head and back drinks the water up greedily, and its sprout seems to stand a little straighter. Riki scratches the Turtwig lightly under its chin.

“I guess you were getting thirsty? Alright, then. Here. Let’s get you something to eat, as well.”

He pours out some Pokémon food into a couple of bowls - one for Terra, one for Sly - and lies back on the grass while he waits for them to eat. A chilly breeze rustles his clothes and the grass beneath him. Temperatures in Sinnoh already trend cool, and with the rain cooling the city down even further, Riki is glad to have worn layers today. Still, it’s peaceful, and he just lies there for a few minutes with his eyes closed, listening to the sound of the wind.

Eventually, the sounds of crunching stop, and his Pokémon cuddle up next to him. Terra settles down on his left right by his ribs, while Sly sits by his right ear.

But…

Soon, the calm only makes Riki feel lonelier. Normally, by now he’d have been jarred back to reality by Masato and Kengo’s roughhousing, or Rin shouting at one of them, or Kyousuke coming up with some sort of game. The more time he spends alone like this, the more his thoughts drift back to the days after his parents died.

Before he can go any further, Riki pushes himself to his feet. Hopefully, doing something will be enough to distract him. But what? He’s here because he didn’t have anywhere to go.

For want of a better option, Riki beckons his Pokémon to walk with him along the wavy stone path circling the park. At least, moving should be better than not. It doesn’t do a lot… but he still starts to feel just a little better.

And then—

“YOUUUUUUUU!”

Riki’s melancholy thoughts are blown away in an instant, replaced by confusion under the sudden sonic assault. Bracing himself, he pushes forward to confront the figure responsible.

“Wait, you’re the old man from yesterday!”

“WHO’S AN OLD MAAAAAAAAAAN!?” The uproar doubles in strength.

However, Riki simply finds his frustration building. “By all accounts, you are! You shouldn’t shout at people for simply stating what’s true.”

“…Hmph.” The man quiets down at that. “At least you have some spine. That’s more than I expected, from your performance yesterday.” He fixes Riki with a flat stare.

“Eh?” Riki glares back. “What do you mean by that?”

“Simple. Kid, your battling was atrocious. What in the world possessed you not to have your Pokémon use Rock Throw at the end there? You might have been able to at least KO that girl’s cat.”

“Ah... I mean, Lennon was already getting weak. I didn’t want to hit him with an effective attack if it might injure him too badly!”

The old man fixes Riki with a flat stare. “Oh? So you know what that Pokémon can take better than it and its trainer combined?”

“I...” Riki wavers, but frustration wins out. “Why do you even care? It’s clearly not for my friend’s sake, given how you chased her away out of nowhere.”

“Bah. This and that have nothing to do with each other.” He glares at Riki. “You’ve clearly got some amount of guts, or you wouldn’t be talking back to me like this. So I just want to figure out what you’re doing insulting your Pokémon and your opponent by refusing to show them!”

“I told you. I don’t want to hurt my friend’s Pokémon.”

“Then I guess there’s nothing for it, then.” The man smirks as the trap snaps shut. “If you’re worried about being able to judge if a Pokémon will get hurt, you’ve just got to get a feel for it through experience!”

“…Seriously?” Riki suppresses a groan. Why does he always get dragged into these things?

“Alright then, kid! I, Kojirou, will teach you how to put your all into a battle!” He rolls a Pokéball out of the sleeve of his robe, and throws it. “Go, Whismur!”

What appears is a round pink mammal, around two feet in height. The Whismur has cross-shaped eyes and two nubby arms. Its feet are yellow-tipped, as are the long, curved rabbit ears jutting up from the top of its body. Each ear canal is positioned just in front of the base of its ear, so that the ears can bend down to act as plugs. “I’ll tell you what. If you beat just this one Pokémon, I’ll promise not to bother you again. I’ll even go apologize to that other kid you were with! How’s that sound?”

Riki sighs as he sends his Bonsly out to battle and tells it to use Rock Throw. A rock type against a normal type… with Sly’s defenses, wearing his opponent down shouldn’t be too hard. “Do you not have better things to do than hang around in this park harassing people about Pokémon battles?”

“Uproar!” At Kojirou’s command, the Whismur stretches its mouth wide open and lets out an ear-splitting cry. Sly stops in its tracks, vibrating a little from the sheer volume of the sound buffeting it. “What was that, kid? I couldn’t hear you!”

“Ugh… Sly, use Rock Throw again!” Riki grimaces as his Bonly sends a chunk of rock flying right into its opponent’s face, briefly cutting off the piercing wail. “I said, isn’t there anything else you should be doing right now? Don’t you have friends or family to spend time with, or something?”

“Hmph.” Kojirou brings his arms together so that his sleeves cover both hands. “Kid, you were right about one thing - I’m old. when you get to my age, you’re not gonna have friends around for much longer. As for family… Well, I’ve decided to live on my own. I don’t plan on inconveniencing them when I die, got that?”

“What - that’s horrible!” Even as the Whismur resumes making an uproar, Sly slowly advances towards it, its rocky defenses holding up well against the Normal-type attacks. It may be a little slow, but if things keep up as is, Riki’s Pokémon will be the one winning the battle of attrition. “If you’ve still got family, then you should go to them! I’m sure they want to see you!”

“Here’s some advice, kid: don’t meddle in situations you don’t understand!” Kojirou’s shout corresponds with a particularly loud blast of sound from his Pokémon as its uproar reaches a peak. Sly has to stop moving again from the sheer intensity, but it still holds firm. “And I’ll give you a two for one deal, while I’m at it.” Rather than continuing to cry, the Whismur waits for Kojirou’s command: “Don’t underestimate the versatility of Normal types! Whismur, use Water Pulse!”

Rather than sound, what emerges from the Pokémon’s mouth this time is a pulsing ring of water that travels forward with enough speed to knock Riki’s Bonsly off of its feet. Although it rises, Sly seems dizzy from the impact, and its next Rock Throw misses the target before a second pulse takes it down.

“If you’re so concerned about not holding back, then why didn’t you use that from the start?”

“Simple,” Kojirou responds. “I’m trying to teach you something. If I ended the battle from the start, I wouldn’t be able to judge how you fight.”

“I didn’t ask for that.” As Riki calls his Bonsly back to its Pokéball, Terra steps forward as though to say the battle isn’t over yet.

“Not much respect for the lessons of your elders, huh?”

“Not when those lessons amount to ‘scream at random passers-by so they’ll leave you alone’.” The battle pauses as Riki and Kojirou stare each other down, neither making the next move. Then, the old man laughs.

“Hah! Fair enough, kid! But tell me - what’re you gonna do next? How do you plan to win this?”

“I…” Riki glances at his Pokédex, checking what TMs are known to work on Whismur. Yeah… He thought so. “…I don’t. Terra, return!” Just as the turtle is about to charge its opponent, with or without its Trainer’s help, Riki reaches for its Pokéball and calls it back with a beam of red light. “If you’ve used TMs to teach that Pokémon coverage moves, then it probably knows Flamethrower, too. I’m not letting Terra get in close and risk something like that. You win.”

“…” Kojirou sighs. “Fine. Whismur, return.” He recalls his own Pokémon, but fixes Riki with a serious look. “Kid… if you’re not willing to take a chance now and then, you’re never gonna grow stronger.”

“Getting stronger…” Riki looks away. “I don’t understand why everybody keeps talking about that.”

“It’s not physical strength I’m talking about here. It’s mental. Spiritual. If you want to find happiness in life, you need to grow enough to go look for it.”

“I…” Riki shakes his head. “I’ve got what I’m looking for right here, already. I have my friends. That’s enough.” He turns to walk away. He’s done here.

Kojirou doesn’t follow him. Before he’s out of earshot, though, he gives Riki one last parting remark. “…Everything changes, kid. There’s not a single thing in life that ever stays the same. If you try to hide from that, you’ll earn nothing but regret.”

———

Once again, Riki finds himself walking through the city, caught between the gray of the streets and the gray of the sky, with no destination in mind. He shakes Kojirou’s words out of his head.

There’s nothing wrong with wishing for tomorrow to always be the same as yesterday.

He knows he should return to the Pokémon Center, so that they can start getting Sly back to full health. But… his Pokémon is safely in stasis within its ball, and he doesn’t feel like being roped into whatever training scheme Rin’s working through now.

“Hm?” For a moment, the monotony of the city is broken. Streetlights flicker on, illuminating something unusual just as it disappears around a corner. Riki rushes ahead, and turns to see a lone Pokémon floating down the road ahead of him.

It looks like a meteor hovering in place, with a spherical body covered in a cracked shell of rock. Around its perimeter are five small craters, arranged like the points of a star. Each crater is ringed with dark brown triangular impressions, and has a rounded white nub poking out from inside of it.

Not recognizing the species, Riki points the camera of his Pokédex at it. The pocket encyclopedia brings up a picture of the Pokémon’s front, which boasts two huge black circles that look almost like eyes. Each has three triangular impressions emerging from its top, and the one on its left also has a smaller brown circle the same color as the triangles overlapping it on the bottom left. Apparently it’s a Minior, a Pokémon native to the Alola region.

Definitely strange for one to be on its own here, then. Lacking anything better to do, Riki follows it.

A few turns later, it leads him to a large, plain, blocky building. A sign hanging above the entrance says “POKÉMON GYM” in faded letters. It’s shockingly plain for the place that’s making Rin act unusual. Evidently, this city’s Leader doesn’t care much about appearances.

The Minior doesn’t go inside, however. Instead, it floats around to the back, where a metal fire escape staircase leads up to the roof of the building. The Minior rises, and disappears over the lip of the roof.

Curious, Riki grips the railing and climbs the fire escape.

He emerges onto a wide, flat rooftop. Riki’s shirt flaps in the wind; it’s much stronger up here than at ground level, and it doesn’t stop. A mesh fence runs along the perimeter, preventing access to the edge of the roof except for an opening for the fire escape. Scattered across the plain in front of Riki are several long metal hangers for drying sheets. They’re rusty from disuse.

Riki advances towards the center of the area, looking around. After a moment, his eyes focus, and he recognizes a figure who had until now blended into the grey of the sky. It’s a girl, sat on the ground with her back leaning on the mesh fence. Several discarded wrappers, carelessly pinned to the ground beside her by a bag and a lunchbox, rustle in the wind. The girl herself is hugging the Minior to her chest, and gazing forward with dull eyes. The eyes are what help Riki place her - she’s the girl from the café the other day.

The girl glances up at him. “Who… are you?”

“Ah—“ Riki falters. “…My name’s Riki. I ran into your Pokémon, and, er… wound up following it. Sorry.”

“Mm.” The girl nods. “I’m Komari. I guess.. You found my secret base, huh?” She puts on a sheepish smile, but the moment of effort behind it betrays her.

“…Sorry. I can go, if you don’t want me here. I won’t tell anyone.”

“…No. It’s fine.” Komari’s face falls again, once it’s clear that the smile didn’t fool Riki. “I don’t have any special claim to this place, or anything.” She closes her eyes, and squeezes her Pokémon tighter for a moment. “I just like it, that’s all.”

Riki makes a sound of understanding. He supposes this place is as good as any other. And… after their encounter the other day, he doesn’t want to leave this girl alone here. “Then, is it alright if I sit here a while? I’ve been struggling to find a place to go to.”

“I won’t stop you.” Komari smiles weakly as Riki sits down. “To be honest… I’d be sad, if my being here kept someone else from enjoying it.”

“Ah.” Riki glances around the open roof. While not a skyscraper, it’s still one of the taller buildings in Jubilife, giving him a wide view of the city beyond the fence’s boundaries. A thought strikes him. “This must be a really nice place when it’s sunny.”

“It is. I’m glad you think so too.” Komari nods along. She continues quietly, more to herself than to Riki. “…I just wish it wouldn’t rain so much lately. I hate the rain…”

A few minutes pass in silence after that. Eventually, Komari pulls something out of her lunchbox. After fiddling with the wrapper, she breaks it in half, and offers one half to Riki. “Belgian Waffle?”

“Huh? Um, sure…?” Riki hesitantly takes the offered sweet.

“…Sorry. You probably think it’s weird.” Komari looks down at her knees. “People are made to feel what others feel, right? When the people around you are happy, you get a little happier too. So, by sharing the things I like, I figure maybe I can make myself feel a little better. You know?”

Riki makes a noise of understanding. It seems like an awfully simple philosophy… and from Komari’s listless behavior, he gets the sense that she’s trying to convince herself as much as him. Still, he takes a bite of the waffle. He’s never been a particular fan of sweets, but… “…It’s good.”

“Mm.” Komari chews on her own half of the waffle. “…Of course, I know it’s not that simple. When I’m sad, that makes the people around me sad, too. And then knowing I’m responsible just makes me feel worse…”

“…It’s kind of a vicious circle, huh.”

“Mhm.”

The wind continues to blow, as Komari carefully pins the new wrapper under her lunchbox with the rest. The conversation slows to a halt. The atmosphere grows more and more awkward, until Riki says something just to break the silence.

“So… that Pokémon. You don’t usually find Minior outside of Alola, right?”

Komari’s grip on the meteor Pokémon tightens. She speaks still without looking back towards Riki. “Mhm. This is Granny. My brother gave her to me, back when… when he went to Alola.”

Riki tilts his head. He’s pretty sure the Pokédex said Minior were genderless… but then, it’s not as though it really matters what Komari calls her Pokémon. “That was nice of him.”

“Yeah, it was. My big brother was always really nice to me.” The girl rests her chin on the Minior’s rocky shell. Her eyes cloud up a little more than usual.

Was? A pit of dread sinks into Riki’s stomach. He wishes he was wrong, but… he’s certain that he wasn’t. “…Oh. I’m sorry… You mean, he’s…?”

“That’s right.” Komari gives a small nod. “My brother… doesn’t exist, anymore. He died eight years ago.”

———

That day…

“Honestly, the hardest part of this whole expedition was just getting Irwin to turn corners. Garchomp don’t exactly have the best handling at top speed.”

As the five of them sat around their table, chatting about the day’s adventures, Riki’s thoughts had started to drift. As the rain hammered down around them, for a moment he imagined the world had shrunk down to only this one café. The low buzz of discussion through the café and the patio faded into the background, the energetic jazz - which suddenly sounded almost desperate - blurring into white noise.

Instead, what his mind focused on was the rain. The faint sounds of thunder in the distance. The flowerpots, looking like fragile markers of this tiny world’s boundary.

The rain made him think of that day, so many years ago, when his own world had been shattered. The storm pouring down on his family, the accident near the lake, and…

Kyousuke nudged Riki gently with his shoulder, pulling him back to reality. Lightly shaking his head clear of the thoughts, Riki gave his friend a small smile.

The band switched to a new song.

A few moments later-

“Wah—!”

The shout drew Riki’s attention to a girl in a beige sweater, windmilling her arms as she lost her balance. Riki rose from his seat, meaning to help her right herself.

Unbalanced from his own sudden movement, he wound up getting dragged down under her instead. The floor rose up to meet him, and he smacked against the burnished wood.

“Ow…” Riki sat up and rubbed his head. Wincing at the pain, he stood and turned to the girl. “You alright?”

“Hm?” The girl rose as well. Blue eyes met Riki’s own. “Oh. Yes, I’m fine. I’m sorry for the trouble…” She bowed and rushed out the door, but Riki barely noticed.

The moment he’d looked her in the eyes, a stabbing pain in his heart had overshadowed any concern over the pain in his head.

Even as his friends sat him back down, Riki’s gaze drifted to the door where the girl had left.

He knew that look. He knew the emptiness in those eyes.

After all…

He’d seen it in the mirror every morning, all those years ago.

[lokischocolatefountain]

Reduced Sentence

Pairing: Loki x OFC

Rating: Teen and Up 

Word count: 3.5K

Part I, Part II

This is the unexpected Part II of Kitten from Hell. Can be read as a standalone fic, but it’s more fun to read Part I before this... 

Summary: The Kitten from Hell returns to torment him, and Loki's partner doesn't believe that he has the ability to communicate with animals.

Warnings: Swearing, a little smut (but no sex)

A/N: I was texting @deckerstar-trash​ about how wonderful it would be to talk to our pets and this happened...

She was drifting in and out of sleep, conscious one minute to her dreamlands the next. Next to her was the pup that took Loki’s place in his absence. She was afraid of sleeping in the living room all alone. They had tried to train her, but she regressed when Loki was called on an urgent mission to an unknown, secretive part of Asgard. The moonlight illuminated the pup, highlighting every detail of her soft fur. She absentmindedly caressed her fur and proceeded to slip back out of consciousness with a loving hand on the creature. 

They were the perfect picture of tranquility until a loud thud jerked her awake. It was followed by a whispered string of swear words. Still laying on her stomach, she moved herself to the edge of the bed, feeling for the baseball bat she always kept there. In her sleepy daze, however, she forgot to ensure Wiggle’s safety. He had somehow gotten out of the bed with his tiny, helpless, puppy legs and ran straight to the living room where the intruder was. She no longer had the option to wait for the right time to take the intruder by surprise. 

“Wiggle, hey! Did I wake you up, buddy?” 

The joyous barks, if not for the familiar voice, informed her that she had nothing to worry about. She huffed in annoyance at being woken up, abandoned the baseball bat and returned her limbs back under the warmth of her duvet. If he had woken up her last night in a similar fashion, she would have definitely used the weapon on him. Luckily for him, she had finally gotten some rest that day and hence not in a bad enough shape to destroy anyone who disrupted her beauty sleep. 

“Shh, shh! We must not wake her up,” Loki whispered, immediately quieting down the excited dog. 

It took a while for the two to come to bed. It warmed her heart when she noticed how careful Loki was to not wake her up as he changed into his pyjamas and climbed into his side of the bed. Her schedule was pretty erratic and he was always considerate to not disturb her when she rested. He took her hand that laid in between them and played with her fingers. For a man of enormous strength, he was incredibly gentle when he touched her. Loki’s comportment conveyed his yearning for her at having been deprived of her touch for so long, yet it somehow managed to show his considerate side as he restrained himself from inconveniencing her. Already tired of having let her fingers be still all this while, she reciprocated by entwining his with her own. Fingers interlocked with hers instinctively even before realisation struck him. 

“Hey,” she breathed in her still sleepy daze, continuing playing with his hand. Like being sprayed on with water, she was rudely brought to full attention by the God who pulled her to his side of their large bed. He crawled under the duvet and let his fingers slowly creep from her shoulder right to her hand. The tip of his pointed nose along with his warm breath on her neck combined to send a shiver down her spine when he nuzzled her. Early on in their relationship, his blatant breathing in of her scent made her shyly bury her face in her palms, but they were way past all that now. 

“You’re awake,” he said, his lips close enough to her skin for her to feel them on her as he spoke. 

“Barely…” 

“Did His Highness Wiggle Wagglesworth wake you up?” 

She laughed softly, still finding their Corgi’s name too funny. “No, it was you who woke me up, Your Highness Loki Odinson, Prince of throwing things loudly to awaken his girlfriend.” 

“My apologies, dear… Is forgiveness on the table?” 

“No way.” 

“Not even if I told you what was in the suitcase that woke you up? Not even if contains my armour that you found ‘hot as fuck’ when you went through old paintings of me? Hmm?” 

Her breathing quickened with memories of seeing him in an old armour that he didn’t use anymore- apparently it had gone out of fashion two decades ago. But, she desperately wanted to see him wear it just for her eyes. It was in no condition for him to wear when she asked him to and she had forgotten about it until now. 

He nipped her neck and she yelped before she involuntarily attempted to elbow him. It was unsuccessfully, as he was still holding her hand. 

“You could persuade me for a reduced sentence,” she said softly, employing a sultry tone. It made her cringe a little and she was anxious that he might laugh in her face, but his response conveyed otherwise. 

“I could…” 

She reverted to a normal, non-sexual tone to burst his bubble. “Yeah, tomorrow. With the armour on.” 

Tired from bifrsot travel, he gave in to her and their cozy duvet.

The next morning, Loki had singlehandedly completed all their chores and enthusiastically dressed himself in the old armour that managed to attract his partner’s attention. He didn’t know what she saw in it- or him, really- but he decided that whatever she wanted, she shall have. The day she showed interest in it and disappointment when he revealed that he no longer wore it, he rushed to his staff and ordered for it to be recreated to fit him with his changed dimensions. Initially, he waned to save it for a special occasion like a birthday or an anniversary, but then he was separated from her for a month, and decided that there was no occasion more special than when they were both unbelievably horny for each other. 

Clipping the cape on, he turned around to check himself out on the mirror. Goddamn, he looked good in it. His woman had great taste.

She stepped out of the bathroom, clad in his silk robes, when their doorbell rang. 

“I’ll get it,” he announced as he more or less stomped his way to their door. The robes could scare unsuspecting Midgardians, but he would rather a bunch of fools be frightened by him than see his woman look the way she did in his robes. Behind the door was not a poor unsuspecting Midgardian, but two.

Steve and Bucky stood with Fuzzy von Fluffykins and his luggage in hand. 

“I was not aware that he was coming over, today,” he said pointedly at the kitten who was encased in a sock. 

“We are so sorry, Loki. Our surrogate went into labor and Fuzzy’s sitter isn’t picking up our calls. I’m sorry to impose, but could you please, please take care of her until we come back,”  Bucky rambled. 

He should slam the door in the couple’s face. He did not like it one bit that they were taking advantage of his partner’s kindness and dumping their responsibilities on her. If they knew they could not handle caring for an animal, especially one so horrid, they should never have adopted one. But, they genuinely seemed to be in a tough predicament this time. So, he rolled his eyes and held his arms out for the creature as he prepared himself emotionally to deal with the insolent little thing. The men apologised again, thanked him, asked him to thank her and left in a hurry. 

He wasn’t exactly the ‘sex on legs’ she described him to be in the armour when she finally saw him in it. Who would be, when holding Fuzzy and his worn out bag of toys and cat food? The ties of her robe was undone, revealing her lingerie, and she was ready for their much anticipated activities. Her smile dropped in confusion when she saw Fuzzy with him. She definitely had a lot of questions, but it seemed she was not interested in any of them. 

“Okay, you’re going to set him down on that cushion and get your cute ass to the bedroom real quick.” 

“Oh, good!” He breathed in relief as he did what he was told and followed her into their room. It was an ego booster to know that she was attracted to him even after seeing him holding the dumpster cat.

He locked the door behind him as Wiggle had the bad habit of walking into the room whenever they were about to do it. It was as though she knew what they were going to do and stopped them intentionally. Maybe, she felt that they were trying to make a baby and it would result in reduced love and attention for her. So, she would follow them inside and stare at them. Loki had seen horrible things in his life that other hadn’t, but he had to confess that there was nothing creepier than staring into the eyes of you puppy when you’re having sex. 

“I have missed you so much…” he whispered, inching closer to her and backing her up against the wall. She reached out a hand, running her fingers over the bends and curves of the design on his armour. She traced her index finger on one such curve, inching slowly to his collar yet not touching him. As she was taking in the novelty of the armour, he moved her robe out of the way as he let his fingers slither to her back. Her breath hitched when he unclasped her bra, but it did not stop her from her admiration of him. 

She cupped his cheek and he hummed in satisfaction as he relaxed into her touch, his eyes closed on their own accord as his touch-starved body greedily lapped up her affections. He was finally home.

“You’re so beautiful, Loki.” 

Earlier, he believed that someday his heart would stop melting when she so openly appreciated him, but it was not today. It felt just as wonderful as the first time she ever told him that.

She saw the effect her words had on him, even when his eyes were closed. A whole beautiful God stood in front of her, wearing outdated clothes just because she asked for it, and he was all hers. He pulled against his body, and she pressed herself closer to him, the metal of his armour cold against her barely there lingerie. 

She looped an arm around his neck and stood on her tip toes to reach his lips while he carefully bent down to do the same. He was so gentle with her, so mindful of himself to not hurt her with his helmet. When their lips finally connected, it was bliss. 

Their long time apart had escalated their need for each other. Slow, soft pecks quickly turned into more as they pushed against each other in a desperate attempt to get closer to each other than they already were. Her robes lay forgotten and she might have even stepped on it a few times. Loki was awfully protective over his Asgardian silk clothing, but even he paid it no heed. Her hands hungrily roamed his body as she looked for a clasp or button or whatever the fuck she needed to undo to get to his body. She yanked his helmet off and threw it at the bed, grinning as she threaded her fingers through his soft hair and pulled, making him grit his teeth. In turn, she expect him to be more rough with her, but he ceased his ministrations abruptly. His grip on her loosened and he listened intently to something. 

His eyebrows furrowed and he focused on something intently. “Did you hear that?” 

“Hear what?” 

“The cat,” he said, untangling himself from her body. 

“No! Why are you ever listening to the cat now?” She asked, panting between breaths. 

“He said something!” 

“Oh, who cares what he meows-“ 

“Shhhh!” He said, raising his index finger. 

“What the fuck, dude!?” She whispered, confused by his sudden unusual behaviour. 

He gasped as though she said something to offend him, but with a delay of several seconds. It was almost as though it was a response to something said by someone else.

“That is it! He’s crossed the line!” Loki exclaimed before he angrily stormed out of the bedroom. Losing all hope of getting any, she hooked her bra, put the robe back on and followed him out to see what the fuss was all about. She found him in an intense stare down contest with Fuzzy von Fluffykins who tried to look more imposing than a squishy kitty could ever hope to be. 

“What did you say to Wiggle?” 

Meow

“Oh, I heard you loud and clear, you little demon!” 

Meow

“You are in my home and I will not have you, a useless miniature tiger, mock her under my roof.” 

Meow

“Oh, is that how it is now?” 

This time, the kitten meowed louder and Loki lost his shit. 

“How dare you!?” 

“Okay, if you don’t tell me what the fuck is going on right now, I’ll- I’ll-” She clearly hadn’t thought through this threat. “Tell me!” 

“He has been taunting and mocking Wiggle. He said she was a poor excuse for a dog, a failure in her basic function to humans due to her inability to protect us!” 

Meow

“It is not like you are of any use to humans! Wiggle here, provides companionship, plays games, fetches the newspaper every morning and she is younger than you are! You, however, are not just a waste of space, but a menace to society!” 

“Loki, that’s so mean! Stop it!” 

“I am not going to stand by and watch our as our puppy is bullied.” As though glad for the empathy, Wiggle cuddled up to his legs and Loki, being the caring pet owner he was picked him up and held him in his arms. The dog whimpered and Loki whispered words of reassurance as he cradled her. 

It seemed that all the non-humans in the room were in on something while she was completely out of the loop. It was exactly how she felt when they were around Thor and the two spoke of life experiences she was not a part of- those that happened before her great grandparents were born- and hence couldn’t understand. 

“He was just meowing! How did you get all that from meowing?” 

“His sounds are just meows to you, but I can understand them.” 

She raised her eyebrows in skepticism. What did he understand?

“Allspeak,” he said, waving his arm dismissively. 

“Wow, Oh My God. Really?” She knew that he could understand the millions of languages of the universe owing to Allspeak, but didn’t know that communicating with other creatures was a part of it.

“Yes,” he said, very casually as though he didn’t just confirm that he could Talk. To. Animals. Forget teleportation and cloning! This was his best ability. She began dreaming of all the things she could do with this special ability of his- she would finally know what dogs were thinking! She could tell everyone what dogs say when they were barking! It would be a blessing to humanity to finally understand what Man’s Best Friend really thought of them. She could- no, wait! 

He was messing with her! It was April Fool’s Day and he was feeding her shit about how he could communicate with animals. Last year, he told Thor that Crocs with socks and all denim outfits were the pinnacle of human fashion . The poor man walked around with no clue about why he was being stared at- more than usual, at least. 

“Okay, ha ha. You fooled me. Now, drop the act and come to bed.” 

“Act? Our puppy is hurt, honey.” He cuddled Wiggle closer to him as though she was out to get their puppy.

She pinched the bridge of the nose and let of a frustrated sigh. “I usually enjoy you April Fool’s Day pranks, but not when it involves you abandoning me after making me all hot and bothered.” 

“You think this is my prank?” He scoffed mockingly, “Oh, please! I have something big planned for tonight- involving mayonnaise and duct tape. Moreover, why would I fake a conversation with that abominable creature when I could choose the obviously favourable alternative of not talking to him.” 

“This is all shady,” She said, shaking her head. There was something going on. The kitten wasn’t even supposed to be here. “Why is Fuzzy even here? Bucky didn’t tell me anything about dropping him off. You set this up!” 

“Once again, woman, why would I intentionally put myself in close quarters with Fuzzy? I let him stay only because James and Steven dropped by with the creature and basically begged me to take care him. Their surrogate called and they had to leave town immediately.” 

“She’s giving birth?” She vaguely recalled Steve saying that the baby was due this month, but had forgotten about it completely.

“I do not recall. I was too focused on getting back to you to think about babies.” 

“I’m going to call them and check.” 

“You don’t trust me?” 

When she didn’t respond, and proceeded to text Bucky, Loki grew disappointed. 

“I’m taking Wiggle on a walk.” He mumbled before he left, still carrying the dog. He didn’t even bother to take Wiggle’s leash. 

After he left, she got the confirmation that Buck and Steve’s surrogate was indeed in labor. She congratulated the couple, changed into comfortable pyjamas and sulked on the couch with the kitten chewing on his toys next to her. She felt bad for not believing Loki when he told her about the baby and texted him her apology, hoping he would come back. She was however met with the ding of his phone which sat on the dining table. He didn’t have the habit of taking his phone with him when he went outside. It was understandable as he was not human and found no need for it, but annoying in situations such as this. 

The doorbell rang and she excitedly ran up to it, but was disappointed to find the wrong Odinson brother. 

“Hello, sister! Is Loki here?” 

“No, he just left, actually. Took Wiggle on a walk.” 

“Oh,” he said, sounding disappointed. 

“Is it something important?” 

“Yes. I came to collect my things. Long back, he stored my gifts for Jane in his pocket dimension. I forgot to get them from him and it’s her birthday next week.” 

“You could wait for him,” she said, gesturing to the sofa. He gave her his usual wide smile and headed to the sofa before he stopped in his tracks. He shrieked a very manly shriek and dragged her, putting her between himself and the sofa.

“Odin’s beard! Why didn’t you tell me he was here?” 

“Oh, Fuzzy? Loki and I are just taking care of him for a while until Steve and Bucky come back.” 

“I have to go, sister!” 

That was so silly! It was like the Odinsons had something against adorable, fluffy kittens. Were cats antagonised in their culture? Did they have a bad shared experience with one? She grabbed him by his wrist and stopped him from leaving. She had to know what this was about.

“It’s okay, Thor! He’s just a lil’ kitty. He won’t hurt you,” she reassured, but the tall, muscley God refused to forsake her as a human shield. She could feel his fear from the tight grip he had on her shoulders.

“He called me a big, dumb idiot with an empty skull the last time I met him!” 

“What? Did Loki put you up to this?” She asked, suspicious of his behaviour. Last year, she was in on Loki’s prank on Thor. So, it was possible that they were pranking her together. 

“No, why would he do that?” 

“Okay, be truthful. Can you actually communicate with animals?” 

“Yes, of course. Allspeak was a compulsory class for us, growing up.” As far as she knew, Thor was not capable of putting up an act for so long without breaking into laughter. He really was telling the truth…

“Shit! I have to go!” 

Thor tried to stop her and said something about being too afraid to be left alone with the creature, but she had no time to listen to him as she hurried out with her phone and purse. 

Thankfully, they had fitted Wiggle with a GPS collar, worried that he might get lost what with his habit of wandering off. So, she didn’t have to look for them everywhere. When she reached the park, she spotted Loki who was now wearing a black shirt and pants- his default when he got changed using magic. He was sat on a park bench while a couple of children played with Wiggle who was having the time of her life with all the attention being directed towards her. Loki constantly had his eyes on the pup, probably anxious that the children might hurt his precious creature. 

She was the first to speak as she sat by him. 

“I’m sorry. I really thought you were pranking me.” 

He turned to look at her, but said nothing. He was still mad at her, but let her loop her arm around his and lean on him with her head on his shoulder, so all wasn’t lost. The physical contact must’ve softened him because he suddenly looked at her and smiled his sweet, boyish smile that others rarely saw. 

“You could persuade me for a reduced sentence.”